General Corporate Representation

Representation of a large integrated energy company in connection with its negotiation, drafting, and purchase of a multi-million dollar natural gas gathering system from a prominent publicly traded European based energy company.

Representation of a publicly traded integrated energy company in the review and preparation of title to minerals in the “Haynesville Shale” resource play in Northwest Louisiana to allow the energy company to prepare a drilling and development plan for Haynesville wells at a cost of approximately $9 million each.

Representation of a large integrated energy company in connection in its daily operations including the drafting and negotiation of gas gathering agreements, gas processing agreements, confidentiality agreements, leases for cell tower construction and the use of existing cell towers, right of way acquisitions, and the acquisition and divestiture of related assets.

Representation of an independent oil and gas exploration company in its daily operations including the drafting joint operation and participation agreements, and representation in concursus and other litigation related proceedings.

Representation of an independent oil and gas mineral leasing company in its daily operations related to the analysis of mineral ownership in light of the many various legal complexities of Louisiana property and mineral law.  Representation of same company in several lawsuits including class actions, breach of contract, and mineral title.

Advised a major energy company in the acquisition of a large Oklahoma gathering system and the related pipeline construction and long-term natural gas gathering and treating agreements; in the construction and acquisition of two multi-million dollar natural gas treating plants; regarding extensive long-term gas processing and gas gathering transactions, involving billions of cubic feet of gas annually; regarding a significant crude oil loading and transportation agreement, involving billions of cubic feet of gas annually; and regarding joint venture for major gas gathering assets and activities, involving billions of cubic feet of gas annually.

Represented an independent midstream and gas gathering company with respect to property and right of way issues.  Primarily provided advice and review with respect to landowner negotiations and legal issues arising in connection with same. Also provided document review and advice.

Representation of an integrated energy company in connection with its development of a high-voltage direct current transmission system across Louisiana to tie electric distribution utility systems situated in the Southeastern United States to the wind power generation facilities within the boundaries of the Electric Reliability Counsel of Texas. Work includes the acquisition and exercise of options to acquire Louisiana property sites for AC/DC converter stations, the development of transmission right of way forms to be utilized in acquisition of the transmission line corridors across Louisiana and Mississippi, and the introduction of the project to Louisiana state and public elected officials and regulatory agencies.

Representation of an independent oil and gas exploration company in the identification of “held by production” acreage it owns as prospective for natural gas development in the deep rights, “Haynesville Shale” resource play in Northwest Louisiana, preparation and issuance of requests for proposal (“RFP”) to Haynesville Shale developers for the joint development of such acreage, preparation with the client in the review and evaluation of  the responses received to the RFP, and the successful negotiation of agreements with the developers for the development of the Haynesville Shale natural gas resource underlying such acreage.

Representation of an independent oil and gas exploration company in its successful application to the Louisiana Office of Conservation (“LOC”) to change the previously approved “unit operator” of a 640 acre “Haynesville Shale” natural gas drilling and production unit situated in Northwest Louisiana (the “Unit”).  Our attorneys sought and obtained a rehearing by LOC in this matter due to the failure of the original unit operator to provide reasonable notice to our client, the largest working interest owner in the Unit, of the initial hearing held by the LOC for the establishment of the Unit.  After receipt of evidence at the rehearing, the LOC’s Commissioner of Conservation issued a revised order for the Unit changing both the Unit Operator and the location of the initial Unit well, all as requested in our application for rehearing.

Representation of a lignite coal mining company in its negotiations with an integrated, closely held oil and gas company for the acquisition of lignite and other surface mining rights controlled by the oil and gas company.  These lands involve over 730 acres of land situated in five different governmental sections of land that hold over 3.8 million tons of minable lignite for inclusion in an integrated lignite surface mining operation in Northwest Louisiana.  Our representation has included the presentation to the oil and gas company of the client’s mining plan and negotiation and preparation of the lignite and other coal leases and surface use agreements that addressed the joint, contemporaneous development of the land for both oil and gas and coal and lignite development.

Representation of an independent oil and gas exploration company in its successful negotiation with a publicly traded oil and gas exploration company of (1) a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the sale of an undivided fifty percent (50%) interest in certain oil and gas properties and associated rights in its Eagle Ford Oil Shale Prospect underlying 20,000+/- acres of lands situated in two adjoining counties in Texas, and (2) Joint Development and Joint Operating Agreements by which the Seller and Buyer jointly own, explore, develop and operate these Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas properties.

Representation of an independent oil and gas exploration company in its successful acquisition from a publicly traded oil and gas exploration company of a 72% net revenue interest in 2,640+/- acres of oil and gas leases that are “held by production” and cover seven sections of land in the East Holly Field of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana.  This acreage is held by natural gas production from the “Haynesville Shale” formation by third parties and includes the Cotton Valley formation and depths above the Cotton Valley formation.  Our attorneys represented the Buyer in the negotiation and execution of the Purchase and Sale Agreement, the performance of the Buyer’s due diligence investigations, and the closing of the acquisition.

Representation of an independent oil and gas exploration company in its successful negotiation with a capital venture fund for the funding of the development of an enhanced oil recovery prospect (the “Prospect”)  involving oil, gas and mineral leases covering 4,080 net acres, more or less, located in Miller County, Arkansas (the (“Leases”).  Our attorneys negotiated and drafted the organizational documents for the formation of a limited liability company (the “Company”) operated by the parties to acquire the Leases and develop, operate, lease and sell oil, gas and mineral interests, and wells related thereto in the Prospect, and other prospects in which oil, gas and mineral leases may be acquired for development by the Company.

Representation of an independent oil and gas exploration company in its successful negotiation of a Prospect Development Agreement that encompasses the identification, exploration and development of oil and gas prospects, the provision of prospect development concepts, identification of seismic lines to be acquired encompassing such concepts, evaluation of geological and geophysical data so developed, and upon the completion of such data acquisition and evaluation, the acquisition by the client of a leasehold position covering lands for a given prospect sufficient for the drilling of a well prospective for the production of oil or gas in paying quantities, and the drilling of wells on such leasehold so acquired.  The prospect development agreement identifies seven (7) separate prospects situated in various portions of the East Central portion of Louisiana and the Southwest portion of Mississippi that range from development play to prospect leads to wildcat prospects, and details the duties of the parties thereto for the mutual development of each.

Representation of The St. Joseph Society of the Sacred Heart, Inc. (the “Josephites”) in litigation with the local members of the Board of Directors for St. Augustine High School over control of the high school and whether amended corporate by-laws enacted by the local members of the high school’s Board of Directors were valid.  We filed a Petition for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief in Federal Court, obtained a temporary restraining order returning control of the high school to the Josephites and then assisted the Josephites in working out a compromise with local members of the high school’s Board of Directors and drafting new by-laws.

Representation of minority shareholders in a newly formed Indiana corporation, who had transferred tangible assets, intellectual property and other assets of a Delaware corporation they owned to the Indiana corporation in the hope of obtaining financial support, management talent, and guidance in advancing a business envisioned and created by the minority shareholders, in a potential shareholder suit against the Indiana corporation, the majority shareholder in the Indiana corporation and the corporate officers and executives of the Indiana corporation.  Helped clients work through the pros and cons of potential litigation and ultimately assisted clients negotiate the unwinding of the previous business transaction.