The Search for Clear Title: Why Title Research, Abstracting and Curative Work Makes or Breaks Your Energy Project
Key Takeaways:
- Title examination and curative work form the foundation of successful energy projects
- Proper abstracting identifies risks before they become costly problems
- Exceptional communication throughout the process prevents surprises and delays
Title research, abstracting and curing are critical steps in energy development, yet often overlooked until something goes wrong. At Camalo Energy Resources, we treat this work as the foundation of every successful project.
Our 10-step process helps clients in oil and gas, carbon capture, and renewable energy avoid delays, disputes, and costly surprises. If you’re looking for a trusted partner who can clear complex title issues efficiently and thoroughly — start here.
What Is Title Research in Energy Projects?
Title examination. Title curative. Real property records. Heirship research.
Sound exciting? Maybe not to everyone. But at Camalo Energy Resources, this is where we prevent disasters before they happen.
For our land professionals, title work isn't just paperwork—it's a high-stakes investigation that combines detective work with treasure hunting. We track ownership clues through courthouses and digital archives, map chains of title, and dig through decades of records to uncover the prize: clear, marketable title that lets your project move forward without costly surprises.
Our job? Identify and mitigate risk before it becomes your problem. That means solving issues early, documenting everything meticulously, and ensuring your project isn't derailed by title defects that should have been caught months ago—whether you're developing wind farms, solar arrays, oil and gas assets, or carbon capture infrastructure.
Let's walk through our process—and what you should demand when hiring a land services team for abstracting and curative work across any energy sector.
Step 1: Comprehensive Title Search
We gather every relevant document tied to a property: deeds, mortgages, court filings, wills, leases, liens, easements, and more. The goal is to reconstruct a complete, unbroken history of ownership and encumbrances—whether for traditional oil and gas leasing or pore space rights for carbon capture.
For renewable projects specifically, we examine zoning restrictions, conservation easements, and covenant restrictions that could impact solar arrays or wind turbine placement. Many renewable projects have been delayed or canceled due to title issues discovered too late in the development process.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Someone who's efficient, experienced, and obsessively meticulous.
The difference between thorough and superficial title search often determines whether your project proceeds smoothly or gets bogged down in legal challenges.
Make your lawyers happy and hire the land services firm that gets it done right, the first time.
Step 2: Title Examination & The Title Ownership Report
With documents in hand, we verify ownership, identify clouds on title, and document every issue that could derail your project.
A proper abstract lays out:
- Complete ownership history with no gaps
- All liens and encumbrances affecting the property
- Existing leases, easements, and mineral rights
- Legal disputes, probate issues, and heirship complications
This isn't boilerplate work. It takes real-world problem-solving and sharp judgment to determine what matters and how to address it—especially for complex energy projects spanning traditional oil and gas, utility-scale solar and wind farms, and carbon capture operations.
For renewable energy projects, our abstracting process gives special attention to transmission access rights, neighboring property setbacks, and viewshed easements that can impact solar and wind development. We've seen multimillion-dollar renewable projects derailed by overlooked restrictions buried in decades-old documents.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Someone who knows the difference between a minor clerical error and a potential deal-breaker, and communicates those distinctions clearly.
Need clarity before you commit capital? Get Camalo on your team.
Step 3: The Title Runsheet / Abstract of Title
One step up from our standard title research product is providing our clients and their legal team with a professional runsheet (a.k.a. an Abstract of Title), which lists every document chronologically—creating the blueprint for evaluating title.
For carbon capture projects, this includes specific attention to pore space rights, which typically belong to surface owners rather than mineral rights holders. For renewable projects, we track surface use restrictions and transmission corridor rights, along with surface and mineral rights ownership. For traditional oil and gas, we focus on mineral ownership and leasehold interests.
Each energy sector has unique requirements:
Wind projects require attention to height restrictions, aviation easements, and neighbor setback rights
Solar developments need clear identification of surface use limitations and shading easements
Carbon capture operations depend on pore space rights, typically belonging to surface owners
Oil and gas development relies on proper mineral chain of title and existing lease obligations
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Detail-oriented professionals who can connect seemingly unrelated dots across decades of documentation.
Step 4: Title Opinion Collaboration
Our landmen work closely with experienced title attorneys to review findings and outline specific steps for curing title defects—providing the communication bridge that keeps your project moving.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Strong legal understanding combined with practical field experience and exceptional communication skills.
Step 5: Division Order Title Opinion Resolution
Time to fix the problems. We develop a targeted plan, identify needed curative documents (quitclaims, affidavits, releases), and coordinate execution with all parties—maintaining transparency with your team throughout.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Someone who can think strategically, pivot when needed, and communicate changes clearly.
Problem-solving is our superpower. Make your managers happy, get Camalo on the job.
Step 6: Document Procurement and Preparation
We draft and file precise, legally compliant documents—then track down heirs, lienholders, or prior owners for signatures. Our attention to detail at this stage prevents future complications.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Someone who combines legal precision with exceptional people skills.
Because clearing title depends on both accuracy and relationship-building.
Step 7: Strategic Negotiations and Agreements
Some title issues require negotiation to resolve—boundary disputes, easement conflicts, subordination agreements, or lien releases.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
A team with patience, persistence, and uncompromising integrity.
Bonus points for diplomatic skill in delicate situations.
Step 8: Filing and Recording for Public Record Accuracy
We ensure all curative documents are properly recorded and indexed in the public record—no exceptions.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Someone who knows local procedures and maintains meticulous filing systems for both physical and digital documentation.
Step 9: Re-Examination and Verification
After filing, we conduct a thorough re-check to confirm all issues are fully resolved and properly reflected in the public record—creating the solid foundation your project requires.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Tech-savvy professionals who are relentlessly thorough and leave nothing to chance.
Step 10: The Comprehensive Curative Report
Finally, we compile a detailed curative report documenting every issue addressed with proof of resolution—giving your team the confidence to move forward.
What to Look for in Your Land Services Partner:
Professionals who take pride in delivering clean, complete documentation that stands up to scrutiny at every level.
Beyond the Paperwork: The Real Value of Clear Title
At Camalo Energy Resources, we don't just check boxes—we solve problems before they become expensive roadblocks. Our approach delivers tighter timelines, cleaner transactions, and fewer surprises for your legal and land teams.
Whether you're securing hundreds of acres for a utility-scale solar farm, negotiating wind leases across multiple properties, preparing for a pipeline right-of-way, planning carbon capture infrastructure, or developing your next oil play, clear title is the bedrock of success. And we know how to uncover it, document it, and defend it.
The energy landscape is evolving, but the fundamentals of solid land work remain constant. Work with us and expect the same exceptional attention to detail and communication standards that have built our reputation. Our experience across all energy sectors gives us the perspective to anticipate issues unique to each type of development.
So if you need title work that holds up in court, satisfies lenders, and passes regulatory scrutiny, there's an obvious next step:
Make your managers happy. Get Camalo on your team.
Contact us today to start the conversation.
Clear title. It's the foundation everything else is built on. And yes—when done right, it's damn satisfying.
