Source: Wikimedia Commons
Training the Next Generation of Texas Land Professionals
In the Texas oil and natural gas industry, the spotlight may shine on drilling rigs and production numbers, but the foundation of every well begins long before the first pipe hits the ground. It begins with land.
That reality is now front and center at Texas Christian University (TCU), where a new seminar at the TCU Neely School of Business is turning Hollywood intrigue into real-world industry preparation. Inspired by Landman, the popular West Texas drama created by Taylor Sheridan, the course “Land Management and Land Administration” is giving students a grounded look at one of the most essential, and often misunderstood, professions in the energy business.
In the oil patch, landmen aren’t fictional fixers navigating dramatic showdowns. They are professionals who secure the mineral and surface rights that make energy development possible. No leases, no drilling. No agreements, no production. It’s that simple.
Professor Tom Seng, an energy finance expert with decades of industry experience, is leading the eight-week seminar. While the show delivers high-stakes storytelling, the classroom delivers something more enduring: contract law, property law, title research, and lease negotiation. Students are working directly from certification materials developed by the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), the Fort Worth-based organization that sets professional standards for landmen nationwide.
Guest lecturers have included energy law and industry leaders who are helping modernize standardized lease language, ensuring Texas remains competitive across the full energy spectrum. In the 21st century, the profession has expanded beyond only vertical wells and courthouse records and now involves managing complex property rights in a diversified energy economy.
For students, many of whom are pursuing finance, supply chain, or energy business minors, the course provides exposure to a career path they may not have otherwise considered. And thanks to the cultural visibility created by Landman, they aren’t starting from zero when they hear the term. In Texas, oil and natural gas has always been more than a commodity business. It is a relationship business, built on trust between operators and landowners, negotiated lease by lease, handshake by handshake. Landmen serve as the bridge between private property rights and responsible resource development. They protect ownership, clarify titles, and ensure agreements reflect both economic opportunity and legal integrity.
Without that groundwork, the rest of the industry cannot function. The timing of the class is also a reminder of Texas’ deep energy roots. With AAPL headquartered in Fort Worth and West Texas serving as the backdrop for one of television’s most talked-about dramas, the connection between culture and commerce feels uniquely Texan. But the classroom strips away the drama and replaces it with discipline.
Just as pipeline construction and upstream investment fuel job growth across Texas, the land profession offers long-term careers grounded in expertise and accountability. From field landmen working directly with ranchers and mineral owners to in-house professionals structuring complex transactions, the role remains indispensable.
Hollywood may have provided the spark, but the substance is pure Texas. At TCU, students are learning that before the rigs move in, before the pipelines are welded, before production powers homes and businesses, someone has to do the foundational work. Someone has to make sure the agreements are sound and the rights are clear.
In Texas energy, leadership starts at the surface. And just like everything else in the patch, it’s built on preparation, professionalism, and earning the trust to get the deal done right.
