Oil & Gas

Our attorneys’ experiences form a global roadmap of landmark oil and gas projects, from investments in the Eagle Ford Shale region to exploration and development activity off the coast of West Africa, to LNG projects throughout the world that are reshaping the global supply chain.

In an era of commodity price volatility, the investment climate is marked by the need for larger amounts of capital to commercialize projects. Against this backdrop, the development of unconventional oil and natural gas reserves has dramatically changed North American and global supply fundamentals, causing oil and gas companies to reconsider many of the traditional legal and economic models that have shaped the structure of their strategic alliances, joint ventures and risk-sharing/service models. As an advisor to both oil and gas industry and financial participants, Pillsbury applies its knowledge of oil and gas projects and financing models to help solve the legal challenges impacting the industry's highly demanding projects and transactions.

Pillsbury’s oil and gas experience goes beyond transactional matters to include the regulatory and environmental issues that surround many industry projects. This is particularly helpful in developing projects in environmentally sensitive areas. We use a collaborative multidisciplinary approach, so no matter what issue or geographic region is involved, we provide our clients with the right blend of advice.

Oil & Gas Transactions Practice
Our Oil & Gas Transactions practice includes structuring, drafting and negotiating a wide variety of acquisition, disposition, development, and finance transactions spanning the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas business. We have extensive experience with exploration, participation, purchase and sale, farmout, and joint operating agreements, and our attorneys routinely advise clients on due diligence relating to oil and gas acquisitions, participation elections, lease acquisitions, title defect matters, AMIs, pooling issues, and well proposals. Our pipeline and midstream practice includes the development, financing, acquisition, and divestiture of gathering lines, pipelines, storage facilities, and processing plants, and our LNG sector strength is market-leading, spanning the entire value chain from upstream production and liquefaction through to shipping, regasification, pipeline transportation and marketing.

Regulatory Matters
Our oil and gas practice offers a full array of legal services related to oil and gas regulation, including the preparation (and contesting) of filings, evidentiary hearings, court appeals, settlement proceedings, technical conferences, rulemakings and informal meetings. Our lawyers advise clients on matters involving a variety of federal statutes, including the Natural Gas Act, the Natural Gas Policy Act, and the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Pillsbury’s regulatory attorneys have worked on major oil and gas projects from exploration, production, gathering, storage and transportation to refining, distribution and marketing. We have helped clients obtain regulatory and permit approvals, and have helped them navigate FERC compliance and enforcement rules.

Oil & Gas Environmental Issues
With a team of lawyers working full-time on environmental matters—many of whom have previously worked at federal and state regulatory agencies—Pillsbury is home to the most seasoned oil and gas environmental practice in the United States. We have environmental lawyers based in the most important and active locations, including Washington DC, California, New York and Texas. Our experience covers virtually every jurisdiction in which the oil and gas industry has a significant presence.