Pipeline Equities
PO Box 571977
Houston, Texas 77257
Phone: 713-623-0690
Pipeline Recovery
excavation & removal
Damage Assessment
of easements
Pipeline Appraisal
pipeline property valuation
Pipeline Equities
PO Box 571977
Houston, Texas 77257
Phone: 713-623-0690
excavation & removal
of easements
pipeline property valuation
The right of way or easement can be for utilities, roads, trails, pipelines, or whatever else egress or ingress is granted on a property.
The path of the easement is defined in the right of way agreement or contract. At times a definition is not set forth and the easement can cover the entire tract of land in question.
The length of time or duration of the contract or right to use the easement is defined in the right of way agreement. Or it is not. At times when there is no defined end or termination clause in the contract, it might go on forever or in perpetuity.
Other determinants are set out in the contract that determine various conditions such as damages to land, damages to crops, rights to add other fixtures or appurtenances to existing fixtures, etc. Almost anything that is negotiated between the grantor and grantee can be included in the easement or right of way contract.
Often there are provisions for mediation or arbitration should the parties disagree on provisions. Sometimes not. The agreement should be the last word and the law, but it is always subject to interpretation. For the most part, the agreement are clear and precise as to rights and privileges of the grantee from the grantor. I believe that we will see more and more emphasis on the letter and intent of all parties regarding this type of contract.
I remember seeing one contract written in 1942 for a crude oil pipeline running several hundred miles through Texas. Everyone was boilerplate duplicated. Exactly the same terms and wording on each. In my mind, I can hear the right of way agent telling the landowner, “The Nazis are coming, the Nazis are coming!” So they all signed away rights of way in perpetuity. The line has not been used for years and the easement is not maintained and the taxes are relegated to “abandoned” status.
The Texas Railroad Commission states the line as abandoned as far as there jurisdiction is concerned, but the pipeline company still claims it is theirs. Go figure. I don’t think this sort of interpretation by pipeline companies will hold up when challenged. This is partially the reason there will be more regulation on these old systems and soon.
Fill out the short form below to receive our Pipeline Recovery Manual.
Sign up for our free newsletter to receive your complimentary copy of our Pipeline Recovery Manual that explains our entire process for recovering or salvaging idled or abandoned pipelines.
You will see how we deal with landowners regarding notification and recordings. How to draft a contract of sale with models by: Exxon, Texaco, Koch and others and pictures showing actual work in process.
The manual shows Pipeline Equities job references, right of way releases, agreements and the history and background of Pipeline Equities and managing partner David Howell. These references touch on parts of the six million feet of line removed or handled by the company over the past twenty years.
A line pipe table describing various weights, grades, and pressure ratings of ERW and seamless line pipe is included. This section is an indispensable tool for anyone doing operational word with line pipe.
Also included are extensive glossaries of pipe, pipeline, and right of way terms.
Request a complimentary Pipeline Appraisal Handbook
Fill out this short form and you will be sent a confirmation link to our Newsletter. Once you click the link you will be subscribed to our newsletter and taken to a page where you can download the Pipeline Appraisal Handbook.
This handbook written by David Howell, managing partner of Pipeline Equities is the basic text of any pipeline valuation. All of the essential factors for establishing the value of a pipeline are discussed along with exclusive proprietary formulas and tables essential to a certified appraisal.
Also included are 32 pages of pipe weight and grades tables that cover virtually any situation which might be encountered regarding line pipe requirements. Additionally you’ll find an extensive glossary of pipe, pipeline and right of way terminology is part of the Handbook.
Subjects include: Replacement, Right of Way, Surface Inventory, Throughput, Salvage/Recovery, and comparable sales histories to name a few of the basic factors of pipeline appraisal.
The author recognized a need for a report or “how to” manual for properly appraising pipelines and pipeline right of ways. Currently the work is being done by accounting firms, engineers, and real estate appraisers.
Howell has forty-five years experience in many sectors of the petroleum industry from drilling contractor and oil and gas operator to pipe and supply distribution throughout the world. He has published Tradex Equipment magazine, the Whole World Oil Directory, and the Texas Oil Register.
For the past twenty years, Howell has been almost exclusively engaged in pipeline sales and acquisition, appraisal, removal for salvage, environmental remediation and general pipeline operations.
Howell currently serves on board of the Pipeline Appraisal Institute and is a member of the International Right of Way Association. Howell is a graduate of Texas A&M University – Kingsville and a native of Alice, Texas. He is currently residing in Houston and is the managing partner of Pipeline Equities.
