We have represented the interests of energy clients as plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court and international arbitration. These disputes can involve virtually any aspect of energy company operations, including:
- Joint operating agreements
- Purchase and sale agreements and merger agreements
- Preferential rights to purchase
- Royalty and pricing issues
- Take or pay, title, leasehold and land disputes, including subsurface damages, tort and insurance defense arising from oil and gas operations
- Unitization agreements
- Derivative contracts for oil and gas swaps and options
- Drainage claims
- Environmental matters in connection with oil and gas operations
- Exploration agreements
- Gas balancing, marketing, plant accounting, purchase and sales agreements
With decades of work in the industry, we have the experience to try, settle, arbitrate or mediate controversies to the right conclusion in any forum, efficiently and cost-effectively. Our lawyers know when it is best to litigate and when to pursue negotiation or dispute resolution to settle the issue. We understand the business as well as the legal issues at risk, and advise you on the course of action that best protects your interests.
Recent examples of our work include:
- Defended GX Technologies, a seismic data analysis business, against allegations by a competitor that the company’s startup was based on theft of trade secrets and confidential information.
- Defended a publicly traded oil company in a $60 million gas trading case containing alleged RICO violations, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty claims and CFTC violations.
- Advised an oil and gas reserve engineering company in litigation regarding claims of securities and common law fraud arising out of estimated reserve reports issued by the company.
- Secured a Fifth Circuit Court of appeals victory for two major utilities against a new retail electric provider that had asserted antitrust, fraud, and other claims against the major Texas power generators and retail electric providers, seeking millions of dollars in damages for alleged manipulation of electricity prices.
- Appeared in U.S. Tax Court on behalf of a major independent oil company in a dispute over the treatment of intangible drilling and development costs for a North Sea platform and the depletion allowance for sulfur precipitated from sour gas streams.
- Represented a gas pipeline company in dispute regarding damages to combustion gas turbines allegedly caused by liquid hydrocarbons in gas delivered to cogeneration plant.
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