Aaron R. Nielsen

Aaron R. Nielsen has worked in the oil and gas industry since 2010. His primary areas of focus are title examination, due diligence, and oil and gas transactions. Mr. Nielsen has written and/or reviewed hundreds of drilling, division order, supplemental, and limited acquisition title opinions for clients of all sizes, from new start-ups to private equity to Fortune 500 companies. He manages several client relationships at Feighny Hartle and leads a team of experienced attorneys within the firm’s title practice. He is licensed to practice in Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah, and manages title matters across those jurisdictions. Mr. Nielsen is also board certified in Oil, Gas & Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Lease termination and depth severance provisions

One of Mr. Nielsen’s favorite practice areas involves interpreting decades old oil and gas leases where specific partial termination language creates potential ownership disputes as operators look to drill deeper into zones such as the Wolfcamp D and Woodford formations beneath legacy Spraberry and shallow Wolfcamp wells in the Permian Basin. In clauses like these, the specific language used in creating partial vertical or horizontal termination provisions can change ownership dramatically and in unexpected ways. Because a single tract of land can involve dozens of leases, each governed by different termination provisions, Mr. Nielsen works closely with landmen to discuss how these provisions interact with each other so they can bring clear, well supported conclusions back to their own teams.

Acquisition and divestiture due diligence

Mr. Nielsen represents both exploration and production companies as well as mineral buyers whose deals range from acquiring a small overriding royalty interest to acquisitions valued in the billions of dollars across an entire basin. These transactions can be hectic and on a tight deadline, but Mr. Nielsen and his team have consistently proven that they are up for the task and make it a priority to deliver accurate and clear work product before the deadline so their clients can make informed, unrushed decisions.

On larger transactions, incomplete or missing documentation is what consistently derails a deal, so Mr. Nielsen and his team leave no stone unturned in their approach in evaluating the chain of title. That approach lets them identify title defects early, quantify the monetary effect on the value of the transaction, and gives clients everything they need to negotiate or resolve the issue before it’s too late.

In-house landman experience

Earlier in his career, Mr. Nielsen spent six years as an in-house landman at Chevron. This experience gave him a unique perspective that still shapes how he advises his clients today. During those six years in-house, Mr. Nielsen worked directly alongside the engineers, geologists, and finance professionals who shaped an operator’s decisions. That vantage point gave him firsthand insight into what a landman needs from a title opinion, what drives an operator’s risk tolerance, and how those groups evaluate a well before it is drilled.

Responsiveness as a differentiator for clients and colleagues

Mr. Nielsen views responsiveness and accountability as the most important differentiators of his practice, and expects it from everyone on his team. He and his colleagues know how important it is to get answers in real time and they make it a priority to extend that courtesy to the client. This practice of open and timely communication for difficult and sensitive matters goes back to when Mr. Nielsen spent two years as an LDS missionary in Atlanta, Georgia. During that time, he was asked to take on various leadership roles over groups of fellow missionaries, an experience well outside his comfort zone at the time. This experience taught him to stay engaged with people even when a conversation was not easy. Mr. Nielsen firmly believes that open and timely communication is the foundation of strong, lasting relationships.