President
Mike Hammond, CPL
Mike has been a practicing in-house landman for over a decade. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Energy Management and being named the AAPL Outstanding Graduate, Mike moved to Houston where he began working for Southwestern Energy Company (SWN) focusing on their emerging Marcellus Shale play. During his time on the Marcellus team, SWN kicked off a large scale drilling program increasing production from 0 Mcf per day to over 100 MMcf/d. Mike negotiated several large scale trades, purchase and sale agreements and Joint Operating Agreements in support of this rapid growth being recognized by being awarded two President’s Awards for Bottom Line impact in 2008 and 2009.
Over the course of the next decade, Mike worked in almost every major US shale basin for large public oil and gas exploration and production companies, including the Eagle Ford, Utica, Permian (Midland and Delaware), Woodbine, Fayetteville, Eaglebine Moorefield and Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Basins. He testified numerous times at court proceedings in support of leasing unknown or unlocatable cotenants through court appointed receivers. Mike has also testified in front of regulatory bodies in Arkansas and Mississippi as an expert in the construction and application of Joint Operating Agreements and the formation of drilling units. In Mississippi, Mike participated and testified as an expert in over a dozen successful applications establishing 1,920 acre drilling units and in Arkansas integrated uncooperative owners in drilling units to allow for exploration of a new play in the Moorefield. Mike has also prepared declarations and provided expert testimony in arbitration proceedings involving disputes regarding standard industry land practices, Operating Agreements and Areas of Mutual Interest.
In addition to experience in Oil and Gas, Mike proudly served his country in the United Sates Navy. Prior to graduating from the University of Oklahoma, he ran a small floor covering business to help finance his education. Mike is a Certified Professional Landman and has a Master of Business Administration degree (M.B.A) from Rice University, Jones Graduate School of Business.