UW Student Completes Valuable Experience in Land Management Internship

McKinzie Barnes, a University of Wyoming student in the School of Energy Resources’ (SER) Energy Resource Management and Development (ERMD) Program, recently completed a summer internship, gaining significant hands-on experience in the field of land management.

Under the supervision of Joe Icenogle, an oil and gas land and regulatory manager and a member of the Professional Land Management Industry Advisory Board at SER, Barnes worked to determine the land and oil and gas assets for a Wyoming family trust.

 

Jerre Wroble, the trustee of the John L. Wroble Family Trust, sought the expertise of Icenogle and an ERMD student for the massive undertaking of researching the land and ownership associated with overriding royalties on the mineral estate.

 

“Following the passing of my father in 2008 and stepmother last year, the mineral leases in my dad’s trust came back to his children,” Wroble says. “In gathering the leases together to see what we had to sell, we realized we needed help organizing the information and making sure our information was current and complete. I thought maybe there was a landman student who might take this on as an intern project, so I started scrolling through the School of Energy Resources website and connected with Joe, who agreed it was a perfect intern project. The position was opened to ERMD students, and McKinzie was the person for the job.”

 

A nontraditional student based in Douglas, Barnes was the ideal candidate for the role. In addition to her proven abilities in her coursework, Barnes exhibited tenacity and motivation for independent research projects. With the ability to conduct the internship remotely — and living in the vicinity of the courthouses that would necessitate an in-person visit — she got to work during the spring 2025 semester.

 

“This internship was the quintessential experience of professional land work,” Barnes says. “The practical skills I gained, particularly in running title and understanding ownership records, are crucial for my future career. It’s one thing to learn these concepts in a classroom, but to apply them in a real-world setting under the guidance of a professional like Joe was an incredible opportunity.”

 

Her work began with extensive virtual research, using online records from Sweetwater and Converse counties, though she also conducted some on-site research at the Converse and Campbell county courthouses. The bulk of her on-site investigation took place in Gillette, where she spent significant time conducting hands-on records digging to uncover critical information. Barnes then summarized her findings into a detailed spreadsheet and mineral ownership report to quantify her client’s oil and gas interests, a vital step for a third-party valuation.

 

Icenogle praises Barnes’s dedication, work ethic and abilities.

 

“McKinzie demonstrated a strong aptitude for the detailed and meticulous work required in land management,” Icenogle says. “Her ability to quickly grasp complex processes and contribute meaningfully to our projects speaks highly of her potential. She is a great example of the caliber of students coming out of the ERMD program at the University of Wyoming.”

 

As an exciting conclusion to the internship, Barnes attended an on-site planning session on a well that is going to be drilled in Campbell County. Barnes fully experienced the negotiation, operational and regulatory side of the land profession, interfacing with both the surface owner and the operator’s technical and regulatory professionals.

 

“We were, of course, very happy with Kinzie’s work,” Wroble says. “She is as dedicated and organized as they come. She mentioned she enjoys puzzles, which is fortunate, since this project proved to be one in many ways. What’s more, she solved the puzzle all while taking classes remotely from Douglas, graduating and being a mom to little ones. There was a lot on her plate, but she saw the project through.”

The experience equally set up Barnes for success.

 

“This internship has been great, and other opportunities have given me the chance to see the full circle of the landman role in energy works, starting with title, landowner negotiations and the regulatory framework involved in putting all the pieces together,” Barnes says. “I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to witness multiple facets of land work before I even enter the field.”

 

Barnes, who completed her ERMD degree with a concentration in professional land management in August, now will enter the workforce with confidence, support from her mentors and professional network, and the tools to succeed in a competitive field.

 

“Internships are an invaluable component of a student’s education, providing a vital bridge between academic knowledge and real-world application,” says SER Academic Director Kami Danaei. “We are profoundly grateful for the unwavering support of the Wyoming community and dedicated partners like Joe Icenogle, who ensure our students have ample opportunities to learn by doing. McKinzie’s work on her recent project is an excellent example of this, as she demonstrated exceptional skill and commitment, enhancing not only her own learning but also contributing significantly to her client’s success.”

 

To learn more about the ERMD degree program and the professional land management concentration, visit www.uwyo.edu/ser.