Roger Scales is Of Counsel in the Houston office of Coats Rose, P.C. and a member of the firm’s energy practice section. For more than 25 years, he has built an extensive energy practice focusing on matters involving title examination and the negotiation and evaluation of all manner of oil and gas agreements, including oil and gas leases, pipeline easements, surface use agreements, and seismic permits. In recent years, Roger’s practice has extended to the renewable energy sector, as he assists both landowners and operators in solar, wind, and battery storage agreements. Roger has conducted mineral title examination resulting in the issuance of title opinions covering all of the major oil and gas exploration areas in Texas and active areas in several other states. Roger works primarily with operators but also assists mineral interest owners and surface owners. Other areas of practice include facilitation of IRS Section 1031 like-kind exchanges involving oil and gas interests and farm and ranch properties; oilfield equipment procurement and shipping; groundwater leasing; farm and ranch management; and general business and commercial matters. Roger has served as an expert witness in litigation involving mineral title interests and has made numerous presentations to professional groups and associations on a variety of matters pertaining to current issues in the energy sector.
Roger is a graduate of South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas. He is licensed in Texas and New Mexico, and is a member of State Bar of Texas (Oil, Gas, and Energy Resources Law Section), and numerous other professional organizations.
Admitted
- New Mexico, 2018
- Texas, 2004
- S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas
- Certified Licensed Mediator/Third Party Neutral
Education
- D., 2004, South Texas College of Law
- B.A., 1988, Texas Tech University
- B.A., 1986, Baylor University
Affiliations
- State Bar of Texas (Oil, Gas, and Energy Resources Law Section)
- Houston Bar Association (Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law Section)
- Houston Association of Professional Landmen
- American Association of Professional Landmen
- West Houston Association of Professional Landmen
- Permian Basin Landmen’s Association
Publications and Presentations
- “A Discussion of the Pugh Clause: or, How Well Do You Know the Freestone Rider?” Tulsa Association of Lease and Title Analysts (March 23, 2023)
- “A Review of the Freestone Rider: A Discussion of the Pugh Clause and Other Similar Lease Provisions,” The Permian Basin Landmen’s Association (October 8, 2019)
- “Is the Lease Really HBP?” the Permian Basin Landmen’s Association (PBLA) monthly luncheon (November 13, 2018)
- “Lien Foreclosures & Oil & Gas Leases – The New Law in Texas,” The Association of Defense Counsel Member Publication (Spring/Summer 2017). Also presented at the 31st Annual Review of Oil and Gas Law by the Energy Law Section of the Dallas Bar Association on August 19, 2016)
- Production Sharing Agreements and Allocation Wells (presented at the Permian Basin Landmen’s Association Spring 2014 Educational Seminar on April 23, 2014)
- Ambiguities Commonly Found in Early Oil and Gas Leases (presented at the Halfmoon Education, Inc. Seminar on June 12, 2014)