Tim George

Tim practices administrative law and litigation on behalf of oil and gas owners and operators. Tim represents clients before the Railroad Commission of Texas and the Texas General Land Office.  He has helped solve complex problems with leasehold permitting and production; special field rules; rulemaking; salt water disposal injection; unitization and enhanced recovery; environmental compliance and remediation; pipeline transportation; common carrier, common purchaser, and gas utility compliance; planning and permitting for underground storage in salt caverns and depleted reservoirs; and surface land use and municipal permitting for oil and gas operations.  Tim is a frequent speaker, lecturer and author on energy law topics.

E&P Planning, Permitting, and Regulatory Compliance

Tim's experience with exploration and production planning, permitting, and regulatory compliance includes:

• Assisting operators and owners with business planning and legal advice for exploration, development and expansion of oil and gas prospects and reserves – in both primary depletion and enhanced recovery operations – including allocation & PSA wells, oil and gas leasing, leasehold retained acreage provisions, pooling, surface use and accommodation, field-wide unitization, drilling contracts, joint operating agreements, marketing, pipeline easements and right-of-ways, gas gathering and processing, and pipeline transportation. Representing operators and owners in Railroad Commission of Texas contested hearings.
• Assisting operators with day-to-day regulatory compliance with rules and requirements of the Railroad Commission of Texas and the Texas General Land Office.
• Representing applicants and opponents in force pooling under the Texas Mineral Interest Pooling Act.
• Representing clients in the formation of field-wide secondary and enhanced recovery units, including planning and guidance with unit committees, preparation of unit agreements and unit operating agreements, and proceedings to obtain Railroad Commission of Texas approval.
• Representing applicants and opponents in Railroad Commission of Texas proceedings to approve Qualified Residential Subdivisions with designated drilling and producing sites and access easements.

Environmental Permitting and Compliance

Tim's experience with environmental permitting and compliance includes:

• Assisting owners and operators in planning and permitting disposal facilities for oilfield wastes regulated by the Railroad Commission, including saltwater disposal injection wells, land farms and oil and gas waste pits.
• Representing clients in connection with plugging abandoned wells, cleanup of oilfield and pipeline spills and leaks, and proceedings to determine responsibility and penalties for oil field contamination.
• Representing petrochemical, pipelines and storage facilities in connection with claims of contamination of underground water resources.

Underground / Hydrocarbon & Gas Storage and CAES (Compressed Air Energy Storage)

Tim's experience with underground hydrocarbon and gas storage and with compressed air energy storage includes:

• Assisting with permitting and development of storage facilities in salt domes, bedded salts, and depleted reservoirs for natural gas, natural gas liquids, hydrogen and compressed air energy storage.
• Assisting clients with detailed planning and regulatory requirements, including facility site selection, storage cavern permitting, brine disposal injection and day-to-day interface with Railroad Commission of Texas compliance staff.
• Representing storage operators in contested hearings and lawsuits over permits, special rules and municipal ordinances affecting underground hydrocarbon storage facilities.

Pipeline Safety, Common Carrier/Purchaser, and Gas Utility Compliance

Tim's experience with pipeline safety and with common carrier/purchaser and gas utility compliance includes:

• Counseling and representing pipeline operators about permitting, safety compliance, common carrier/common purchaser and gas utility operations, and right-of-way acquisition and condemnation.
• Representing pipeline operators in contested hearings before the Railroad Commission of Texas to obtain disputed pipeline permits, defend tariff filings, and gain approval for the abandonment of gathering and transmission lines.
• Representing pipeline operators in connection with enforcement proceedings resulting from pipeline leaks and explosions.

Surface Land Use and Municipal Ordinance Permitting

Tim's experience with surface land use and municipal ordinance permitting includes:

• Assisting operators and owners with surface damage claims and surface use accommodation claims for oil and gas, mining, pipeline and storage properties.
• Representing clients in permitting producing wells, pipelines and underground storage facilities under local municipal ordinances.
• Assisting clients with litigation to challenge municipal ordinance regulation of oil and gas wells, pipelines and storage wells.

News

Publications

• Chambers & Partners USA, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Oil & Gas), Band 1 (2019-2021)
• Chambers & Partners USA, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Oil & Gas), Texas (2024)
• Listed in Best Lawyers© as Lawyer of the Year in Natural Resources Law in Austin (2020)
• Listed in Best Lawyers© as Lawyer of the Year in Natural Resources Law in Austin (2017)
• Listed in Best Lawyers© as Lawyer of the Year in Energy Law in Austin (2013)
• Listed in Best Lawyers©, Energy Law and Natural Resources Law since 2013
• Texas Super Lawyers list, a Thomson Reuters service, Energy & Natural Resources (2008-2024)

• State Bar of Texas: Administrative Law Section; Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section (Council Member, 2004-2007)
• Austin Bar Association: Oil, Gas & Mineral Law Section (Founding Council Member)
• Houston Bar Association: Oil, Gas & Mineral Law Section