Energy & Utilities
Squire Sanders energy clients benefit from our century-plus experience in the industry. Ours is one of the world’s oldest and broadest energy practices, representing energy clients as far back as 1892. One early energy client was the Standard Oil Company, whose successor remains a firm client and which we have represented in all aspects of the petroleum business including such historic projects as the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline.
Energy industries have experienced profound change over the past two decades. Many factors – including increased awareness of the environmental implications of energy projects and fundamental changes in the marketplace – have contributed to this change. During this transition, we have been increasingly recognized for our comprehensive and innovative energy and public utility practice.
Clients are counseled by lawyers with a thorough understanding of electricity, natural gas, liquefied natural gas, nuclear power, oil, co-generation and alternative energy sources. We concentrate on the business and practical aspects of issues facing clients. For example, for large energy consumers we focus on the most efficient way to purchase energy and secure a reliable supply at a reasonable price. In licensing, enforcement and rate case litigation, our expertise extends to the legal aspects of such specialized fields as petroleum geology and the production of hydrocarbons. Some of our lawyers have engineering and government experience, allowing us to better understand and propose practical solutions to our client's energy-related problems.
Energy continues to be one of our primary practice areas. Our extensive experience and network of international offices have enabled us to respond to our clients’ growing demands for top-quality legal services wherever needed around the globe.
Practice Expertise
Representative Experience
- Representing a US natural gas supplier in the negotiation of a long-term fuel supply agreement for the Rio Bravo III Power Project including the negotiation of a precedent agreement for transportation on Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s South Texas Expansion Project.
- Advising an international wind turbine manufacturer on a US$130 million loan facility.
- Representing a major US energy company in the negotiation of a joint venture for its worldwide LNG businesses.
- Representing a US-based energy company in the negotiation of an option arrangement for short-term capacity in a US-based LNG receiving, storage and regasification terminal.
- Representing the natural gas trading division of a large US energy company in the preparation and negotiation of master LNG sales agreements with counterparties in Spain, Japan, Malaysia and Korea.
- Advising a wind project developer on a joint venture with a large US-based utility for the development and financing of a large US wind project portfolio.
- Representing a US energy company in the negotiation of its US gas supply arrangements in connection with the proposed development of a power generation facility in Chihuahua, Mexico.
- Advising in a US$250 million project financing for a new 120-mile, 1.5 billion cubic-foot-per-day natural gas pipeline and compression facilities project in Mexico. The project was named by Project Finance International magazine as Latin America Oil & Gas Deal of the Year. Financing was provided by a US-based international bank and a syndicate of international commercial banks led by Citigroup. Our lawyers represented the development and ownership joint venture between Pemex, the Mexican state-owned oil and gas monopoly, and another Squire Sanders client that is the largest natural gas pipeline company in the United States. Our work involved structuring, negotiating and finalizing all commercial and financing agreements for the project and applying for and obtaining all major governmental approvals. The project was the most significant energy project in Mexico of that year and represented the first time a portion of the Pemex pipeline system was financed without a Pemex corporate guaranty.
- Representing a major US energy company regarding the licensing of and patent applications for intellectual property rights for a regasification system to be installed onboard LNG tankers and discharged through an offshore buoy system.
- Representing FPL Energy (now NextEra Energy Resources, LLC) in a US$206 million project financing for two wind facilities aggregating 196.5 MW of capacity.
Case Studies
The three major producers of emulsion fuels, diesel fuel with high water content, encountered significant difficulties in marketing their product within the EU. The problem stemmed from the fact that (1) there was no technical standard for such fuels...