Senior Land Representative

Plains is an industry-leading transportation and midstream provider specializing in transportation, storage, processing, and marketing solutions for crude oil. We own an extensive network of pipeline transportation, terminalling, storage, and gathering assets in key oil-producing basins, transportation corridors, and major market hubs in the United States and Canada. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

About the role

The Senior Land Representative will develop and implement land strategies to support capital expansion projects across their assigned area. This position is responsible for overseeing the negotiating, planning, and execution of land contracts and initiatives. The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of right-of-way acquisition, title research, and landowner negotiations within the oil & gas midstream sector.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple capital expansion projects simultaneously; coordinate with contractors, surveyors, legal teams, and project managers to ensure alignment with project timelines.
• Negotiate damage settlements; acquire right-of-way; acquire fee property and negotiate lease terms for leased properties.
• Coordinate with and oversee third-party land contractors engaged by the Company to assist with acquisition of pipeline easements and other land rights associated with pipeline systems, facilities, and other land-related sites.
• Perform land administrative support and services related to acquisition and divestiture of pipelines, facilities, and other land-related sites for Company operations, engineering, marketing, pipeline business development, and legal departments. This includes drafting and reviewing various land-related documents such as easements, leases, licenses, permits, deeds, assignments, options, damage releases, tenant consents, construction work space agreements, and lien subordinations as approved by supervisor, Company attorney, or VP Land.
• Assist in the acquisition and divestiture of pipeline systems, facilities, and other land-related sites.
• Organize, monitor, and update project-related materials relating to acquisition of land rights for new or expansion projects; participate in project meetings and provide status updates on land matters.
• Participate in preparation of land-related budgets for projects as requested by project managers.
• Conduct asset sales due diligence, including research and preparation of land database exhibits for real estate, rights-of-way, leases, and facility descriptions. Work with Company attorney and/or VP of Land in preparing related conveyance documents.
• Assist in due diligence activities for asset acquisitions, including presentations and reporting of findings to the Company.
• Negotiate with landowners, government agencies (Federal BLM, BIA; State and Local), railroads, and other entities for acquisition and renewals of leases, easements, and other land-related agreements to secure and maintain Company land rights.
• Review Company contractual obligations for pipeline abandonment or repurposing of existing pipeline systems, facilities, and terminal sites. Coordinate with appropriate Company departments to file necessary right-of-way releases for abandonment or removal of Company pipelines.
• Analyze, interpret, and integrate acquired properties into the Land Department database management system as required.
• Provide support for the Land Department records and database management system, including land payables and receivables.
• Record real estate documents in county/parish public records. Run records and abstract title in a county/parish courthouse.

Requirements

• College degree from an accredited 4-year university, preferred.
• 8-10+ years of land-related work experience, or 5+ years of land-related work experience with a Degree in Petroleum Land Management, Energy Management, or similar.
• Experience with business analysis is preferred.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills.
• Detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to articulately communicate with landowners and Company engineering, operations, and other interoffice personnel, including orally, in writing, and through video meetings.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs with a high level of experience using MS Excel.
• Working knowledge of land laws and regulatory requirements in Texas and other oil-producing states.
• Strong initiative with the ability to work independently.
• Land records database experience.
• Ability to travel in-state and out-of-state as required.
• Notary Public preferred.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean abstract.
• Cleared criminal history (background) and satisfactory reference checks.
• Compliance with the Company’s drug and alcohol policy, including pre-employment drug and alcohol testing.
• This position is not eligible for employment-based visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. for the duration of their employment.

Benefits

At Plains, our employees are our most valuable asset. Hard work is rewarded with competitive compensation and a top-tier benefits program designed to keep our employees safe, healthy, and happy. We respect our employees' need for personal and family time, which is reflected in our benefits program.