Activities:
Surface Interests
Surface Interests
- Mineral Interests
- Surface Interests
Contacts - Accounting
University Lands Surface Interests is responsible for managing all surface activities on the University lands. These activities include the leasing of land for business sites, issuing easements for pipelines, power lines, utility lines, and ingress/egress across the University lands. Issuing permits for various oil field operations and monitoring surface oil field operations are also included in surface activities.
A variety of business activities involved with Surface Interests:
- grazing, hunting and recreation leases;
- pipeline, power line and utility line easements;
- business site leases;
- farming leases;
- permits for various oil field related operations;
- lease for experimental vineyard & winery;
- lease for windfarms generating electric power from wind power.
Our tasks to manage and support the activities listed above:
- monitoring surface oil field activities:
- more than 8,320 oil wells & 790 gas wells;
- approximately 7,000 miles of easements for pipelines, distribution and transmission power lines and communication lines.
- developing recommendations for the University Lands Rate and Damage Schedule used in conjunction with issuing surface leases for business sites, issuing pipeline easements, selling road material and conducting long range planning for future business site developments;
- overseeing waste management programs;
- examining environmental issues;
- protecting archeological resources;
- witnessing oil and gas metering tests;
- providing the main source of water for several area communities:
- Five municipal water contracts allow subsurface water to be sold for the benefit of Midland, Odessa, Andrews, Crane and other smaller cities and towns in the West Texas area.
- For the fiscal year ending August 31, 2005, approximately 1.02 billion gallons of water were sold under these five municipal contracts.
- selling subsurface water under contract or by permit for a variety of oilfield and commercial uses.
- Vineyard and Winery
- In 1974, an experimental vineyard and winery in west Texas was created to determine the feasibility of establishing a commercial winemaking operation on PUF lands. This effort culminated in a commercial vineyard of approximately 1,000 acres and a multi-million dollar commercial winery which is located on PUF lands near Fort Stockton.
- Commercial Generation of Electricity from Wind Power
- Two wind farms are now located on PUF lands in Pecos County.
Approximately 100 wind turbines with a total generating capacity of 65.3 megawatts are currently in place
to produce electricity for Texans. Additional wind power projects on PUF lands are expected in the future
as the demand for green power increases. See
related resources on Wind Energy
- Two wind farms are now located on PUF lands in Pecos County.
Approximately 100 wind turbines with a total generating capacity of 65.3 megawatts are currently in place
to produce electricity for Texans. Additional wind power projects on PUF lands are expected in the future
as the demand for green power increases.