The modern energy industry is one of frequent divestitures, mergers, and acquisitions. With companies divesting non-core assets at high levels, divestitures are a fact of life for today’s oil and gas professionals. However, just because they’re relatively common these days doesn’t mean divestitures aren’t a major stressor for land teams.
Oil and gas land administration departments need to maintain accurate, well-organized lease records with clear ownership histories. With the right land management software, land teams can strategically prepare for asset sales and M&A activity, streamlining the process when divestitures occur.
Start With a Foundation of Clean, Reliable Data
Before any transfer, land teams need to conduct a thorough review of all relevant data. For companies still relying on legacy data governance methods, this could mean reconciling years’ worth of inconsistent naming conventions and outdated status fields. These issues can cause delays and force land teams to work with unreliable data.
Land management software solutions help land teams standardize data capture company-wide. The best land management software streamlines data cleanup, producing a single, unified data source rather than relying on siloed spreadsheets and disconnected databases.
Centralize Records and Supporting Documents
Companies acquiring assets expect to see a complete picture of their history through extensive documentation. Operators with disorganized or inconsistent land data can create significant bottlenecks, delaying transactions and causing tension between buyers and sellers.
Land management solutions keep every agreement and supporting document in an easily searchable database. Considering that the energy industry is heavily regulated by entities like the Bureau of Land Management, proper documentation and data governance are a must. If your land files are still scattered across disconnected databases, it’s time to digitize and centralize them before you get left behind.
Leverage Intuitive, Repeatable Workflows for Data Transfers
Divestitures are much easier when teams follow structured processes. Collaborative workflows within land management software help make sure nothing slips between the cracks, validating every file and delivering complete data to the acquiring company.
The right tools can automate much of a land administration team’s repetitive work, like validating spatial data, organizing files, and preparing ownership reports. This is especially important for oil and gas land administration teams overseeing hundreds or thousands of leases across multiple basins.
Maintain Clear Interest Ownership and Payment Details
Buyers need confidence that surface and mineral rights, and their related payment obligations, are 100% accurate. Without reliable, centralized land data, teams spend too much time validating data and aligning payment details with ownership records.
With land management software for oil and gas, land administration teams can reconcile ownership details across their full asset ecosystem. This helps streamline the pre-due diligence process and prepare both sides for smooth divestitures.
Standardize and Fully Integrate Mapping Environments
Divestitures often involve transferring GIS mapping data. If this data is inaccurate, it can cause a variety of downstream ripple effects, including operational issues and misaligned development plans. Oil and gas land management software provides land teams with the tools they need to link each contract to the correct surface and mineral ownership rights with geographical accuracy.
PakEnergy: Your Land Team’s New Technology Partner
Divestitures require land administration teams to be accurate, transparent, and efficient. With the right land management software solutions, land departments can strengthen their data governance and seamlessly collaborate with finance teams to push divestitures across the finish line.
PakEnergy provides the automated features and time-saving tools your land team needs to prepare for divestitures and A&D activity with confidence and clarity. Book a free demo today to learn more!
Or, explore our eBooks and webinars to learn how digital transformation is shaping the future of land management.