Land agents - what do they do?

[Doctordestiny]

Can someone tell me what a land agent does, what the job is like, what qualifications are required, earning, employment opportunities, etc.? Or maybe someone can point me to a place where I can find these things out.

[KTrain]

From ALIS Alberta:

Land Agent

Land agents negotiate and acquire interests in land for rights of way for well sites, pipelines, powerlines, coal mines, roadways and other surface uses.
Also Known As: Negotiator, Oil and Gas Company Land Agent, Petroleum Land Agent
NOC Number(s): 1225
Minimum Education: 2 years post-secondary education/training
Employment Outlook: Job openings due to employment turnover. Occupational outlook currently unavailable.
Interests: M D s

Duties

Licensed land agents negotiate and acquire interest in land. They also may:

* assess environmental controls written into agreements (for example, to protect wildlife or dispose of hazardous waste)
* acquire freehold surface mineral leases and easement agreements
* assess and settle damages
* negotiate road use agreements
* act as a link between corporations, government agencies, the agriculture industry and land owners
* co-ordinate reclamation activities
* prepare reports and documentation
* testify before regulatory boards
* act as a public affairs liaison in communities for their employers.


Working Conditions

Land agents generally work in a field environment and may spend a considerable amount of time travelling in rural areas. Senior land agents may spend most of their time in office environments co-ordinating the activities of junior land agents and responding to questions.

Working hours can be variable depending on the availability of stakeholders.

Personal Characteristics

Land agents need the following characteristics:

* integrity and high ethical standards
* excellent oral and written communication skills
* excellent interpersonal, negotiation and public relations skills
* good organizational skills
* the ability to work with little supervision.

They should enjoy co-ordinating office and field services, and dealing with people from all walks of life.

Educational Requirements

Employers prefer to hire applicants for entry level land agent positions who:

* have related post-secondary education
* are computer literate
* are eligible to become a Commissioner for Oaths
* have experience in the agriculture industry and the oil and gas industry
* have an Alberta Class 5 driver's licence
* are bondable (acceptable to an insurance company as a responsible, law-abiding person).

To obtain a permanent land agent licence in Alberta, you must:

* first obtain an interim land agent licence (applicants must be at least 18 years of age, have two years of related post-secondary education and successfully complete an examination)
* successfully complete a distance learning program
* train and work under the supervision of qualified permanent land agents for a minimum of 12 consecutive months
* submit an evaluation completed by the trainer indicating that all requirements have been met
* successfully complete an examination.

In Alberta, the following post-secondary institutions offer related post-secondary education programs that are at least two years in length:

* Olds College offers a two year Land Agent diploma program. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent with English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, Pure or Applied Math 20 and one of the following: Science 20, Biology 20, Chemistry 20 or Science 30.
* The University of Calgary offers four year and five year (co-op education) Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.) degree programs in petroleum land management. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent with a competitive average in English Language Arts 30-1, Pure Math 30 and three of the following: Math 31, Social Studies 30, Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Physics 30, Science 30, a 30 level language other than English, one five credit Grade 12 subject.

Graduates of the following programs require additional post-secondary education to qualify for licensing in Alberta:

* Mount Royal College in Calgary offers a five course foundation certificate program and a four course advanced certificate program in Petroleum Land Contract and Administration through Continuing Education. Applicants for the foundation certificate program must be 18 years of age or older. The entrance requirement for the advanced certificate program is successful completion of the foundation certificate program.
* Olds College offers a one year Land Administration Certificate program in Calgary and Olds. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma with English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, and Pure or Applied Math 20.
* Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) offers a Petroleum Land Administration certificate through Continuing Education.

For current information about programs, admission requirements and mature student admission policies, please check post-secondary calendars or websites.

Other Requirements section revised MARCH 2009

Under Alberta's Land Agents Licensing Act, you must be a licensed land agent to act as a Land Agent or advertise yourself a Land Agent.

Employment and Advancement

Land agents work for oil and gas companies, land service companies, engineering firms, pipeline companies, electric and gas utilities, railways, communications companies and government agencies. They may work in a variety of positions:

* surface land agent
* petroleum landman
* land representative
* municipal land agent
* land use technician
* lease negotiator
* public consolation co-ordinator
* right-of-way planner
* liaison co-ordinator
* land management technician
* contract land agent.

Some land agents are self-employed consultants. Work in this occupation may be seasonal.

Advancement opportunities vary depending on the agent's educational qualifications and experience.

Salary

Salaries for land agents can vary greatly depending on the type of work involved, the individual's background and the employer.

According to the 2007 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Purchasing Agents and Officers occupational group working part-time or full-time earned from $33,600 to $108,100 a year. The average salary was $59,100 a year.

Other Sources of Information

Post-secondary institution calendars and websites (see Educational Requirements above)

EDinfo website: www.alis.alberta.ca/edinfo

Alberta Association of Surface Land Agents (AASLA) website: www.aasla.com

Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen (CAPL) website: www.landman.ca

Land Agent Licensing website: www.employment.gov.ab.ca/lal

International Right of Way Association (IRWA) website: www.irwaonline.org

Related Occupational Profiles
Real Estate Appraiser
Real Estate Associate

Related High School Subjects
Energy and Mines; Information Processing; Language Arts; Legal Studies; Mathematics; Science (Biology; and Chemistry); Social Studies; and Wildlife

Related Post-Secondary Field of Study
Agriculture and Related Technologies; Business, Management and Administrative Studies; Engineering and Science Technologies; Engineering, Architecture and Related Studies; Environment, Forestry and Related Studies; and Sciences

Top of Profile

For more information on career planning, occupations and educational programs, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website at alis.alberta.ca, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton or visit an Alberta Employment and Immigration service centre near you.

The information contained in this profile was current as of the dates shown. Salaries, employment outlook and educational programs may change. Please check the information before making any career decisions.

© Government of Alberta, Employment and Immigration

[TurnedTheCorner]

My understanding is that they hold the hands of rural hillbillies, painstakingly ensure land owners receive their cheques 6-12 months late, and contract the **** out of everything.

[Agamemnon]

I'm about to start training to be one in a month or so... looks like all the info you need is in KTrain's post.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by fotze

That sounds like it, also go on long boondoggle trips to do something or other.

At .75-.95 per km!

[TurnedTheCorner]

Haha - don't forget the km charges! Also, bring a change of clothes in case a farmer shoots his shotgun at you.

[Thunderball]

I've worked in that field and here's a couple things to bear in mind:

1. You start off roughly at $20-30/hr, about 25-30 cents per km, $30-45 per day meals, as well as accomodations. You're also expected to have a truck or 4x4 vehicle, so that 25-30c/km will barely cover fuel, let alone repairs and maintenance.

2. Many of your destinations are less than appealing places, and you may have to spend 3-5 days per week out there.

3. This is the important one. The Stelmach royalty review decimated the service industry. Jobs are going to be very hard to come by. Having talked to a few service operators, the ones that said they were busy were lying to my face, since after a little more prodding, figured that what they were "busy" with was about 10-20% of their usual workload.

4. This job is under a lot of scrutiny, and may not even exist as it does now down the line as the government has discussed "simplifying" surface rights in Alberta. If you want some ability to survive, learn the paperwork and have the ability to do administration.

5. A lot of landowners are bonafide 100% Grade A pricks. If you don't have a thick skin, forget it. While you're really a liaison between them and the oil company, as far as they are concerned, you're the president of ExxonMobil, and worthy of all the vitriol those people may (or may not) warrant. Some of these guys have nothing better to do than to screw with you, and many do not want oilpatch operators on their land (notwithstanding the fact that they don't own the subsurface and the subsurface owners have the right to access their property...).

As well, I wrote the Interim exam, and its very easy. Though a few people in my writing flunked it (I believe its an 80% to pass), and they grade it on-site if you want to wait.

[SeeGeeWhy]

Originally Posted by fotze

Our #1 complaint is that we are not drilling on their particular quarter, #2 is that the surface payments are not enough.

Isn't it great when they team up and drive the bidding price of leases up?
OP: beware of "coalitions" and get used to kissing the arse of the "editior" of the local daily coffee shop newsletter.

[getbak]

Do they get to drink milkshakes?

[Smell My Finger]

Do they get free donuts.

[Mr.Coffee]

I sense that Fotze was trying to induce a response from me with that boondoggle comment. If so, too bad, bitch.

And if not, I graciously bow out of this thread.