Brendan Andrew O'Donnell
Oil, Gas, Renewable Energy and Zoning Attorney serving landowners
An attorney in Houston Harbaugh’s Oil and Gas Practice, Brendan O’Donnell has represented oil and gas owners across Pennsylvania in a wide array of oil and gas matters for over a decade. This experience involves not only the Marcellus shale and the Utica shale, but more traditional oil and gas development as well.
Brendan maintains a diverse practice, representing clients in all matters involving oil and gas spanning the transactional and litigation realms. On the transactional front, Brendan routinely assists landowners with negotiating oil and gas leases, pipeline rights of way and surface use agreements and subsurface easements related to horizontal drilling as part of Marcellus and Utica shale development. Brendan also frequently reviews royalty statements and oil and gas ownership issues as well as preparing deeds and title curative documents. Brendan also maintains an active litigation practice, representing clients in state and federal courts, as well as private arbitration matters. This litigation often involves title disputes, pooling and unitization challenges, lease termination questions and royalty/ post-production cost claims.
Assisting clients across the spectrum from contract negotiations through litigation and appeals gives Brendan valuable first-hand knowledge about how oil and gas agreements are prepared, how disputes arise and how courts resolve these issues. Brendan stays up-to-date on developments in oil and gas law and writes frequently on the these topics. Additionally, as alternative energy generation like wind and solar are increasingly being developed in oil and gas producing regions, Brendan assists clients with navigating the interplay between these complex energy developments and evaluating solar agreements.
Brendan complements his oil and gas practice by representing property owners, including oil and gas owners, in zoning and land use matters. Brendan has represented clients before municipal bodies and in appeals to court.
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law
- J.D. (2010) | Law
- -
- Honors: Magna Cum Laude
- Activities: Law Review
-
- University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh
- B.A. (2006) | Political Science ; Spanish
- -
- Honors: Magna Cum Laude
- Activities: Phi Beta Kappa
-
- Director
- Houston Harbaugh, P.C.
- - Current
- Senior Attorney
- Houston Harbaugh, P.C.
- -
- Representing Pennsylvania oil and gas royalty owners in transactional and litigation matters.
- Associate
- Smith Butz, LLC
- -
- General practice focusing on representation of royalty owners in oil and gas matters and individuals and municipalities in land use/zoning matters.
- Pennsylvania Court Concludes that Certain Sunoco Entities Did Not Have Eminent Domain Authority in Washington County for Mariner East Pipeline in 2013
- Houston Harbaugh Oil & Gas Addendum
- A Chilling Effect on Zoning
- Houston Harbaugh Oil & Gas Addendum
- No Funding For You?
- Houston Harbaugh Oil & Gas Addendum
- How Subjective Can Objective Zoning Ordinance Requirements Be?
- Houston Harbaugh Land & Renewables Connection
- Federal District Court Sends Pennsylvania Royalty Dispute to Trial
- Houston Harbaugh Oil & Gas Addendum
- Oil, Gas, and Mineral Rights Disputes: Employing the Top Methods, Resolving Boundary Disputes in Pennsylvania
- NBI
- Meetings, Hearings & Dealing With Objectors, Pennsylvania Land Use & Zoning
- NBI
- Drafting and Negotiating Oil and Gas Lease Addendums, Washington County Bar Association Winter Bench Bar, Hilton Garden Inn, Southpointe
- Washington County Bar Association
- Providing Notice of Lease Termination, Online
- Washington County Bar Association
- Royalty Litigation and the Deduction of Post-Production Costs, Washington County Bench Winter Bench Bar, Hilton Garden Inn, Southpointe
- Washington County Bar Association
- State Bar of Pennsylvania # 309007
- Member
- Current
-
- Allegheny County Bar Association
- Current
-
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Current
-
- Pennsylvania
-
- Free Consultation
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Energy, Oil & Gas Law
- Utilities
- Real Estate Law
- Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Neighbor Disputes, Water Law
- Solar, Wind, Renewables
- English: Spoken, Written
Houston Harbaugh Oil and Gas Practice
The Houston Harbaugh Oil and Gas Practice serves royalty owners across Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio
The Renewable Energy, Zoning and Land Use Practice at Houston Harbaugh
Welcome to the Renewable Energy, Zoning and Land Use Practice
Frye v. Penn View Exploration, Inc.,
Frye v. Penn View Exploration, Inc.
Houston Harbaugh - Abandoned Wells vs. Orphan Wells
Abandoned Wells vs. Orphan Wells
Production Costs v Post Production Costs
Production Costs v. Post-Production Costs
Spot Zoning
Spot Zoning
What Land is Identified in a Solar Lease?
This Video Describes the Land that is Identified in, and Subject to, a Solar Energy Facilities Lease
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 102 of 2025
Draft Legislation Could Impact Local Zoning of Oil and Gas
What is a Special Exception?
What is a Special Exception?
Duration of a Solar Energy Facilities Lease
How Long Could a Lease for a Solar Energy Facility Last?
Houston Harbaugh Oil and Gas COVID-19 Message
The Houston Harbaugh Oil and Gas Practice is here to assist you through Covid