Navigating Oilfield Contamination Cases: A Legal Toolkit for Environmental Professionals

In Partnership with Kinetic

A Two-Day Classroom Seminar

Legal proceedings related to environmental contamination are part of doing business in the Oil and Gas industry. It's imperative that environmental professionals working in this space understand the environmental regulations and the oil and gas exemptions that exist with-in those environmental regulations, regardless of which side of the argument you are on. This course provides the basis for environmental professionals to more fully comprehend the regulations and recognize the exemptions, and therefore become more valuable to the companies and clients that they advise.

What You Will Learn

This course also examines the legal process associated with oil-field contamination cases and reviews past rulings to see how the courts are deciding these environmentally centered cases. The course instructor will then cover topics related to:
How an environmental professional's work can help his or her client win the day
How and when to use documents, test results, trial exhibits and demonstrative aids
How to recognize and apply the oil industry exemptions found throughout the environmental statutes

What You Will Also Learn

What sound technical evidence does NOT appeal to juries
Qualifying as an expert in court and before regulatory commissions
How to "sell yourself" (or your company) as the professional of choice.
How to steer complaints in the direction you want
Lousy technical arguments that juries love

Seminar Agenda

DAY ONE:
Common Contamination issues in the oil field -where the messes are and how to find them
Ownership of oil and gas rights and their influence on environmental complaints
Review of the stakeholders involved in oil-field environmental issues: Who gets involved and what do they really want?
Factors influencing common law claims v statutory claims. When should a landowner bypass the oil company and go straight to court?
Negligence, trespass, and nuisance: How the environmental professional's work determines the outcome of these common law claims
What can you do to help your client with fracing contamination allegations?
Understanding Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material from the oil-fields
How to get reluctant agencies involved in disputes (or keep them out)
What to do when the agency won't give you a written response to a verbal agreement
As an agency professional, how should you respond to these overtures?
How to use oil company environmental policies to your client's benefit
Depositions for environmental professionals; preparation and the main event
What to expect and how to be good at the process and in your performance
ow to help depose the "other guy"
Joint defense groups and conflicts of interest: helping more than one client
How to assist your client obtain privileged and confidential environmental data
Protecting yourself and your company: Using indemnity clauses to ensure bad results don't come back to you
DAY TWO:
Testifying versus consulting expert? Which one do you want to be? What's the difference?
When is it OK to send draft reportsâ€¦and how to discuss them with your client
When you're testifying, you shouldâ€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦..and you should NOTâ€¦â€¦
Offers to clean up: how and when to make them and how to reject them
Being an expert witness: What's involved and when should you do it
How clean is clean? Risk based corrective action: Scientists love it. Landowners?....not so muchâ€¦
Agency involvement: when is it required? When is it optional?
Waste: Review of EPA's "Green/Brown" Book for exploration and production waste
Explore waste creation, whether waste is hazardous, and why it matters
Analysis of the E&P exemption. RCRA's "trump" provision
If it's going to be recycledâ€¦was it ever a waste?
What if you donate the old equipment rather than throw it away?
Dealing with Environmental Justice issues
Hazardous substances continued. Reporting obligations. Indemnity agreements
Hazardous v. non-hazardous injection wells

Hotel and Seminar Information

This two-day seminar will be held at the hotels listed below or The seminar will start promptly at 8:00 AM and will finish at 5:00 PM on the first day. On the second day, the seminar will resume at 8:00 AM and will finish at 1:00 PM. The program includes continental breakfast and lunch. Dress is business casual for all seminars

COVID 19 Information: Please click here for the PGS Covid-19 policy. You can confirm each hotel's specific COVID 19 policy using the link(s) provided below.

Registration Fee and Discounts

The price for this comprehensive two-day seminar is $1,549 (USD).

Additional attendees and government employees receive a 10% discount.
Register 4 or more attendees and receive 20% Off. Special pricing is available for groups of 5 or more.
If you want attendees to pay with separate credit cards or have other questions, please call (440) 853-1038 for assistance.

Payments and Cancellations

Payment is due prior to the start of the seminar by Visa, Master Card, American Express, or corporate check. Seminar fees will be charged to your credit card at the time of registration unless other arrangements have been made. Please make checks payable to "PGS Energy Training" 26 Teal Lane • Hilton Head Island, SC 29926. Cancellations will result in a credit that is good for 2 years which can be transferred to a colleague. Substitutions may be made at any time. For more information on PGS policies regarding administrative matters and complaint resolution, please contact our offices at (440) 853-1038.

Who Should Attend

This Course Is Useful for Environmental Professionals in the Oil and Gas Arena to Include: In House EHS Staff, Environmental Consultants, Agency and Regulatory Personnel, Legal Professionals New to the Oil and Gas/Environmental Arena, Lawmakers and Their Staff, Experts called as Witnesses for Oilfield Contamination Cases, Landmen

Prerequisites and Advance Preparation

This fundamental level group live seminar has no prerequisites. No advance preparation is required before the seminar.

Why Choose PGS?

PGS seminars are known for their clear explanations and in-depth content. Register for a PGS class today, and join the over 10,000 energy professionals who have already attended one of PGS's proven programs.

Program Level & Delivery Method

Basic level. This fundamental course begins with basic material and then proceeds to the intermediate level. Delivery method is "Group-Live.”

IN-PERSON CLASSROOM SEMINARS