The Landman Lease and Title Manual is designed to impart upon the new and lightly experienced landman the essential skills and knowledge necessary to work in the oil and gas industry. The manual is not designed as a substitute for the traditional mentor-type learning characteristic of the oil and gas industry, nor is the manual a treatise on the law of oil and gas or land titles. The Landman Field Manual, rather, is structured to aid in development of essential title research skills and in understanding Texas oil, gas and land title law as it relates to the work performed by field landmen.

By 1985, every oil and gas-producing state but Texas had passed a 'unitization' statute requiring cooperation among the various owners of oil and gas reserves. Using interviews, legislative transcripts, and statistical data, Jacqualine Lang Weaver attempts to explain why Texas failed to enact such a statute – aimed at encouraging the most efficient recovery of resources – and how Texas has managed to achieve substantial unitization nonetheless. Originally published in 1986.