Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This Advanced Introduction provides a systematic overview of oil and gas law in the United States, evaluating its fundamental problems, concepts and doctrines. Joseph A. Schremmer traces the evolution of the law's specialized treatment of oil and gas resources, exploring the legal instruments and public conservation regulations unique to their development. Key Features: Provides a concise and accessible overview of the field with clear explanations of fundamental concepts and doctrines Addresses the legal challenges involved in unconventional development such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing Examines crucial methods of conducting oil and gas development, including oil and gas leases, pooling and fieldwide unitization Explores the role of mineral rights in the management of oil and gas resources, namely how these rights may be divided, shared, transferred and lost With in-depth analyses of seminal cases in the field, this Advanced Introduction is essential reading for legal scholars and students with an interest in oil and gas law. Its informative insights are also highly relevant to legal practitioners involved in oil and gas disputes, as well as policymakers operating in both federal and state-level energy spaces.