The Real Deal Landman Show

Drew Hopkins and Jerris Johnson
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The Real Deal Landman Show is a podcast for landmen, land professionals, and anyone curious about how energy deals get done. Hosts Jerris Johnson and Drew Hopkins talk with land, legal, and energy leaders about their careers, their best field stories, and the deals behind American energy. Topics include oil and gas leasing, mineral and royalty ownership, title, surface and rights-of-way, acquisitions and divestitures, renewables, data centers and power, and how AI is changing land work. Real stories from the people who do the job, without the Hollywood drama. Watch the video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDealLandman Website: https://realdeallandman.com

  1. 13 Oct

    Moving Houses & Trading Acreage for Cadillacs with Andrew Keck

    Andrew Keck of Paloma Resources once moved a landowner's house to make room for a drill-site road. He also took a Cadillac Escalade as part of a New Mexico acreage deal. Drew and Jerris open with homemade show t-shirts and a call for production and marketing help. Andrew, Senior Vice President and General Legal Counsel at Paloma Resources in Houston, started as a broker with Vernon Smith and Dudley, then worked surface and rights-of-way for Anadarko in Pennsylvania and Hess in Ohio. Since 2015 he has helped Paloma build multiple private equity-backed companies from zero acres. He also covers the sale of Paloma Permian, how he uses AI every day, and what technology still can't replace in land work. In this episode: • How a private equity operator builds acreage from nothing, sells it, and starts again • Why Pennsylvania and Ohio landowners reacted so differently to drilling • The road deal that moved a family's house, and the acreage trade that came with an Escalade • Where AI already saves time in due diligence and land admin, and where title judgment still needs people • Career advice for new landmen as the industry faces a generational gap Chapters: 00:00 Custom T-Shirts, Office Studio Upgrades & RDLS Hiring Call 05:35 Introducing Andrew Keck: UCO Bronchos to Tulsa Law School 08:26 Early Broker Days: Vernon Smith, Dudley Land & The Marcellus Shift 10:44 Anadarko, Rig Food & Surface Rights in Pennsylvania vs. Ohio Utica 15:36 Joining Paloma Resources & The Private Equity Build-and-Sell Model 23:30 Aptitudes for PE vs. Corporate Land & Advice for New Landmen 29:24 Landowner Dogs: Winning Friends with Bacon & Escaping in the F-150 Bed 32:41 Out-of-the-Box Deals: Moving a House & The 1,100-HP Escalade 38:10 Selling Paloma Permian, Due Diligence & Launching Paloma Permian 2 41:56 Implementing AI in Land Admin, Legal Contracts & Document Scrubbing 44:41 Why Relationships & Title Subjectivity Can't Be Replaced 48:22 Open Offer for New Mexico Acreage & Show Wrap-Up Links: Paloma Resources: https://www.palomaresources.com/ Andrew Keck on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-keck-jd/ Have acreage in New Mexico? Andrew's contact information is on the Paloma website above. The Real Deal Landman Show is hosted by Jerris Johnson and Drew Hopkins. Watch the video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDealLandman All episodes and platforms: https://realdeallandman.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/realdeallandman If this episode helped you, rate the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or subscribe and comment on YouTube. It helps other land professionals find us. Bring the show to your conference or event: https://realdeallandman.com/contact #Landman #OilAndGas #PermianBasin

  2. 15 Sept

    Episode 47: From Rock 'n' Roll to Wellhead Compute with Jon Taylor

    This episode kicks off with Drew Hopkins and Jerris Johnson breaking down the new baseball rule changes that are making games faster than NBA matchups. The conversation gets back on track when guest Jon Taylor reveals his past life as guitarist for a 1990s cover band called Modern Art, which toured the college circuit playing 250 shows a year and closing with Nine Inch Nails. Beyond his rock-and-roll roots, Jon is the Co-Founder of Blue Hawk Energy Solutions. Drawing on his background in media production and Bitcoin mine optimization training, Jon explains how Blue Hawk is facilitating transactions between oil and gas operators with stranded natural gas assets and digital compute developers. The episode walks through the exact physical setup at a wellhead mining site (reciprocating generators, transformers, CCAN containers, ASICs, and Starlink links) and contrasts small-scale stranded gas Bitcoin mining with large-scale AI powered land and data center development. Jon offers sharp insights on fixed-price gas contracts versus Waha hub volatility, navigating the overinflated "wedding tax" on AI data center land, cutting through broker noise to connect real buyers and sellers, and delivering his elevator pitch for turning lost energy into revenue. Learn more about Blue Hawk Energy Solutions: BluehawkBTC.com Connect with Jon Taylor on LinkedIn. Email Jon directly: jontaylor@bluehawkbtc.com Follow The Real Deal Landman Show on LinkedIn for video snippets, industry news, and job postings! Key Takeaways: Blue Hawk: Facilitating deals that convert stranded, flared, or undervalued natural gas into digital compute power.Wellhead Bitcoin Architecture: Monetizing off-grid gas using reciprocating generators, transformers, CCAN containers, ASIC miners, and Starlink satellite connectivity.Bitcoin Mining vs. AI Data Centers: Bitcoin mining targets small, off-grid stranded gas (125–300 MCF) that lacks fiber or water. In contrast, AI data centers requires much larger "powered land" packages with grid ties, fiber, water, and midstream pipeline redundancy.Gas Price Stability vs. Waha Volatility: Fixed-price contracts provide long-term certainty for miners, whereas negative Waha pricing creates market uncertainty and hidden operational costs.Navigating the "Wedding Tax" & Broker Noise: Data center hype has inflated land prices overnight. Success relies on bypassing multi-layered brokers to bring verified buyers and sellers into the same room.Timestamps & Chapters: 00:00 Spring Training Baseball, Stadium Vibes & MLB Rule Changes07:41 Milwaukee Life & The '90s Cover Band Era (Modern Art)13:20 Jon Taylor’s Background & Founding Blue Hawk Energy Solutions16:55 Physical Anatomy of a Wellhead Bitcoin Mining Pad20:29 Small-Scale Bitcoin Mining vs. Large-Scale AI Powered Land24:20 Bitcoin Market Cycles, Fixed Gas Pricing & Waha Volatility30:26 Overinflated Land Values & The AI "Wedding Tax"33:13 Cutting Through Broker Noise & Aligning Operator Expectations45:49 The Elevator Pitch & Show Wrap-Up

  3. 2 Sept

    Episode 46: From the Ground to the Cloud with Ryan Fitzgerald

    Drew and Jerris happened to both be in Arizona at the same time for the annual conference of the National Association of Lease and Title Analysts. They also had the opportunity to sit down with Ryan Fitzgerald, CEO & Co-Founder of GreenFlare Technology. They explored the operational complexities of Bitcoin mining alongside oil and gas activities, the importance of location, and climate's impact on mining operations. The conversation covers the challenges of setting up and managing data centers, the complexities of handling royalties in the oil and gas industry, the competitive landscape of Bitcoin mining and AI-centric data center projects, and the future of GreenFlare's operations. Connect with Ryan Fitzgerald on LinkedIn and learn more about GreenFlare Technology at https://www.greenflaretech.com/ Takeaways Bitcoin mining alongside oil and gas activities has operational complexities but is worth pursuing.Locations significantly impact Bitcoin mining operations. Portable data center solutions are complex and risky, requiring careful planning and coordination.Royalties in the oil and gas industry are handled through gas purchase agreements, but the emergence of AI-centric data centers presents new challenges and opportunities for compensation.GreenFlare is additionally focused on AI-centric data center projects, leveraging existing powered land sites and fuel contracts.The conversation highlights the complexities of setting up and managing data centers, the competitive nature of the Bitcoin mining and AI-centric data center market, and the future direction of GreenFlare's operations. Chapters 00:00 The NALTA Convention in Chandler, Arizona02:21 Ryan Fitzgerald's Journey and ASU's Business Program04:16 Transition to Land Work and Bitcoin Mining13:40 Operational Complexities of Bitcoin Mining17:01 Impact of Location and Climate on Mining Operations23:35 Challenges of Portable Data Center Solutions25:27 Handling Royalties in the Oil and Gas Industry28:15 Competitive Landscape of Bitcoin Mining and AI-Centric Data Centers35:25 Future of Green Flare's Operations

  4. 13 Aug

    Episode 45: Lessons on Persistence and Adaptability with Rhett Reeves

    If you were going to have three movies with you on a deserted island, what would they be? We promise you won’t be able to guess Drew’s top pick, but we’re so glad we have it recorded.  As for more valuable lessons, the Real Deal Landman Show was pleased to host Rhett Reeves, Manager of Corporate Development at Riverbend Energy Group. Rhett shares his journey in the oil and gas industry, highlighting the importance of adaptability, persistence, and building relationships. He discusses industry trends and the impact of AI, and offers practical advice for landmen and industry newcomers, especially during a difficult job search.  Some of Rhett’s tips for ongoing success: Leverage online resources, such as LinkedIn and job boards for job hunting.Build relationships through local chapters and industry events.Stay current with industry trends, including AI and technology.Develop your own tools and online presence to stand out.When it gets tough, stay persistent.  Connect with Rhett Reeves on LinkedIn, and learn more about Riverbend Energy Group at https://www.riverbendenergygroup.com/

  5. 16 Jul

    Episode 44: You Down with IPP? (Kyle Reynolds)

    Kyle Reynolds is the Immediate Past President of the American Association of Professional Landman. He is also about to become an inaugural member of the “Real Deal Landman Eats.” The former landman royalty takes a breath after his presidency and speaks with Drew Hopkins and Jerris Johnson about what he learned from his interactions with the 11,000+ AAPL members across the United States. Among the important issues discussed were the speculated impacts of AI and stagnant day rates. What seems certain is that the profession will undergo changes that will create numerous opportunities to evolve and engage in a broader spectrum of land and energy. It’s also guaranteed that Kyle will continue to be a leader, a friend to the industry, and a fan and adventurer of interesting eats. The next time you see Kyle, introduce yourself, shake his hand, and thank him for a job well done. RDLS continues to grow! Be sure to follow on LinkedIn for landman job postings, industry news, and shameless plugs for the show.

  6. 23 Jun

    Episode 43: Stack Your Oil and Gas Data with Kyla Lawson

    Recent episodes of the Real Deal Landman Show have emphasized the innovative technological landscape, including AI, data centers, and fractional investment opportunities in oil and gas assets. (If you enjoy geeky, tech discussions, be sure to check out past episodes.) To get the greatest effectiveness out of your AI initiatives, it’s important to have clean data. The StackDX platform is comprehensive and offers numerous features, but what many customers appreciate is the value it adds to the data they already own.  In the first truly international episode, Jerris joins Kyla Lawson of Stack Technologies in Calgary to talk about farming, career beginnings, building and selling EnergyLink, and now, the proliferation of StackDX in North America. Connect with Kyla and Stack on LinkedIn and learn more about the platform at StackDX.com

  7. 9 Jun

    Episode 42: Oil and Gas Investing for Everyone with Tokenized Energy

    So many listeners of the Real Deal Landman Show work in the oil and gas industry, yet how many own assets themselves? The RDLS welcomes back Tim Pawul (previously on Episode 20) and introduces Chip Simmons and Adrian Macias of Tokenized Energy.  Recent episodes have explored many thoughts about artificial intelligence, data centers, and the rapidly approaching future of the landman profession. This conversation builds on those concepts, arguing that technology has now made it possible for anyone to start building a portfolio of oil and gas investments with a smaller initial contribution than you might think. After you watch or listen to the full episode (and subscribe, of course), be sure to check out https://tokenizedenergy.com/ to learn how to further your journey as a real deal landman… or geologist… or engineer… or HR rep… or…  Disclaimer: The information discussed on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and may not reflect current market conditions. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional advice tailored to your individual situation.

  8. 29 May

    Episode 41: Catfish, Software, and Data Centers with Jake Anderson

    In case you needed more proof that Drew Hopkins is the main attraction on the Real Deal Landman Show, this episode introduces another fascinating aspect of his life: catfish noodling. Watch the full episode video and see a picture of the biggest monster (literally) that he has caught. We were pleased to have Jake Anderson of PV Case with us. Jake and his team built an incredible product for scouting and identifying sites for renewable energy projects. It has scaled worldwide and has incorporated critical attributes for data center development. And for those who have been following the jaw-dropping numbers about data centers, Jake offers cautionary wisdom to question what we see in the headlines. Contact Jake at jake@pvcase.com and take a look at the PVCase Prospect tool: https://pvcase.com/prospect.  RDLS just hit 1K followers on LinkedIn! Follow us there for video snippets, random theme songs, industry news, and landman job postings. Takeaways Renewable Energy Site SelectionData Center Expansion Data Center DevelopmentEnergy Grid Challenges Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Noodling Stories06:09 Jake Anderson's Background and Company Journey16:36 Site Selection for Renewable Energy24:32 Impact of Renewable Energy Pullback and New Use Cases31:42 Data Center Development

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About

The Real Deal Landman Show is a podcast for landmen, land professionals, and anyone curious about how energy deals get done. Hosts Jerris Johnson and Drew Hopkins talk with land, legal, and energy leaders about their careers, their best field stories, and the deals behind American energy. Topics include oil and gas leasing, mineral and royalty ownership, title, surface and rights-of-way, acquisitions and divestitures, renewables, data centers and power, and how AI is changing land work. Real stories from the people who do the job, without the Hollywood drama. Watch the video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDealLandman Website: https://realdeallandman.com

Information

  • Creator
    Drew Hopkins and Jerris Johnson
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Drew Hopkins and Jerris Johnson
  • Show Website
    The Real Deal Landman Show

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