A landman works for an energy company, securing the rights to drill or operate on land owned by individuals, businesses or the government. These energy professionals research land ownership and negotiate with landowners to buy or lease the land for drilling or pumping. They work primarily for oil and petroleum companies, though some work for firms specializing in wind energy.
A landman needs at least an associate degree in land management or certification as a paralegal, though many firms prefer candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree in land management or a related discipline such as geology, geography, petroleum engineering, commerce or economics. Many universities also offer short-term certificate programs in land management, open to both current and aspiring energy industry professionals. Some landmen have law degrees, which dramatically increases their earning potential. They work both as full-time employees and as independent contractors, and typically work 40 or more hours per week.
Researching Land Ownership
A landman starts by determining who owns a piece of land the company wants to use for oil, gas or mineral exploration. In some cases, dozens of people may own a percentage of the land, so the landman must identify and locate each individual. This may require long hours searching public records, and landmen sometimes spend much of their time traveling to courthouses, archives and the homes or offices of potential land or mineral rights owners.
Negotiating Land Deals
Once a landman determines who owns a piece of land, he attempts to convince the owner to sell or lease the rights to the energy company. To make these deals, he needs excellent communication and people skills and must be a savvy negotiator. He’s often the first company representative land owners meet, so it’s crucial that he treat them with respect. His success also depends on approaching people in a friendly, rather than authoritative or threatening, way. The College Foundation of North Carolina notes that some landmen recommend an undergraduate degree in psychology or sociology as preparation for this aspect of the job.
Paperwork accounts for a significant portion of a landman’s workload. This might include preparing lease agreements, documenting rental receipts, updating leasing reports, analyzing title documents and creating other documents describing land management activities. The landman also coordinates the activities of the sections within the land department, while also providing administrative and record-keeping support to the the title department. He also assigns tasks to contract workers and assists field staff working in operations and drilling.
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