Oil and Natural Gas

The firm’s oil and gas industry clients include large multinational corporations, independent producers, refiners and retailers, marketers, LNG importers, natural gas storage developers, intrastate pipeline companies, gatherers, natural gas processors, distribution companies and end users.  The firm has actively assisted clients in a large number of acquisitions and dispositions, including large and small refineries, retail chains, oil- and gas-producing properties, gas-related assets, coalbed methane gas properties, petroleum product pipelines, crude oil pipelines and gas pipelines. These transactions involve a variety of legal issues outside the normal negotiation process, such as FERC and state approvals of tariff structures and rates, compliance with multiple statutory and regulatory requirements, real estate condemnation, special rights of first refusal under joint operating agreements, environmental approvals, and special permit compliance.  The firm’s lawyers work effectively with in-house attorneys to structure interdisciplinary teams that provide a comprehensive, efficient and cost-effective approach that addresses each client’s specific needs.

Natural Gas Industry

Morgan Lewis works with regulated and unregulated clients to develop innovative business solutions to ongoing challenges in natural gas regulation at both the federal and state levels.

Natural gas clients face structural changes requiring expert guidance in federal and state regulatory matters as well as effective input in the development of legislative and regulatory policies. Morgan Lewis’ natural gas lawyers play an important role in advising clients not only on these matters, but also on the negotiation of new arrangements with both customers and suppliers of natural gas and transportation services, compliance with changing federal and state legislative and regulatory requirements, and guidance on competition issues.

Federal Regulation
At the federal level, our natural gas practice includes all aspects of FERC regulation and compliance, including certification of new facilities, exports and imports, ratemaking, tariff design, investigations, and both trial and appellate litigation. Morgan Lewis lawyers have long played an active role in addressing broad policy issues before the FERC, both informally through direct interaction with FERC, the commissioners and their staffs, and formally through rulemaking proceedings.  The firm’s natural gas lawyers have also assisted clients in developing and obtaining regulatory approval of the development of an innovative natural gas transportation tariff structure, now used as a model for offshore pipelines. In addition, group members are skilled in alternative dispute resolution, taking a leading role in multiparty, multifaceted settlements through informal and structured negotiations. Group members regularly monitor FERC’s agenda and orders, and advise clients of new developments that may impact their operations.

State Restructuring Issues
Local distribution companies face continuing dramatic change in their industry role, and an equally dramatic need for appropriate state and federal regulatory steps. Morgan Lewis has helped to establish some of the first unbundled programs for residential and small commercial customers at the local level, and has also helped develop both legislative and administrative unbundling programs.

Oil Pipelines

Morgan Lewis represents and counsels owners of oil pipelines (crude and finished products) in a wide range of issues, including finance, acquisition, environmental, ratemaking, market power, regulatory and construction matters.  The firm also provides compliance counseling services to a wide range of oil industry participants, encompassing both commodity trading activities and compliance with FERC regulations.