Oil & Gas Law
Major
domestic transactions - including
corporate
acquisitions; sales and purchases of producing
properties,
pipelines, and other significant assets; restructuring; representation
on due diligence, bids
and related
financing issues.
International energy transactions
- including the drafting and negotiation of study groups,
bidding
groups,
operating groups and other forms of association for the conduct of
international oil and gas
operations, as
well as representing clients before relevant governmental entities
within host countries
during the
bidding, negotiation and performance of exploration and production
contracts
Exploration and production
services - including
the drafting and negotiation of leases, operating
agreements,
farm-out agreements, production purchase and sale agreements,
exploration agreements
and other
routine oil and gas questions affecting daily business operations
Environmental counseling and
regulatory services - including
compliance with
federal and state
guidelines,
defense of enforcement actions, assistance in permitting and other
administrative
proceedings,
site analyses,
risk assessments and advice on the effect of the environmental laws on
business
transactions.
Production and
On
natural gas issues, the firm has assisted clients in the following
areas:
contract negotiation and
drafting, with particular attention to price terms, take-or-pay issues,
regulatory
obligations,
processing rights and quality standards;
contracting with
respect to processing
and extraction rights, including ownership and control of lease
separated
liquids, transportation of liquids and liquefiables through natural gas
gathering and
transportation
facilities,
and contracts for processing with third parties and the appropriate
distribution
of proceeds;
reviewing, interpreting and
ensuring compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements,
including
well
qualification,
pricing, production-related cost analysis and enforcement matters
ensuring
that contracts provide
for adjustments for deregulation, classification, contract
renegotiation and
antitrust
concerns; and the purchase
and sale of
pipeline assets and facilities.
On crude oil issues, the firm has
assisted clients
in the following areas:
contract negotiations, including sales and operating agreements;
ensuring
compliance with state
and federal regulations, including federal pricing and tax
requirements;
litigation, including contract
and pricing disputes and claims by taxing authorities and royalty
interest
owners,
including governmental agencies; and
the
acquisition and sale of
producing and undeveloped properties.
Transportation
With respect to transportation, the firm
has
assisted clients in the following areas:
representation of clients from
all segments of the oil and gas industry in virtually every type
of
transportation-related transaction;
counseling producers, pipelines,
local distribution companies, end-users and marketers in the
development of
innovative transportation and sharing arrangements;
representation of oil pipelines
in negotiating and developing onshore and offshore transportation
facilities for
both crude oil and refined products;
representation of shippers and
transporters in connection with a variety of marine transport matters.
Refining and Marketing
Regarding
refining and marketing,
the firm has assisted clients in the following areas:
representing major integrated companies and independent refiners on refining and marketing matters;
assisting clients with contract
negotiation, including marketing, processing, transportation
and
supply agreements;
ensuring compliance with state
and federal regulations, including federal price rules, air and water
quality
standards, and
rules governing imports of motor gasoline; and
assisting in the acquisition and sale of refineries and marketing operations.
Intellectual Property, Licensing
& Technology Transfers
licensing transactions.
Our attorneys and team of technical experts draft and analyze computer
software,
hardware, internet,
telecommunications and related technical agreements. In
addition, Maalouf
Ashford &
Talbot offers a
full range of services regarding the registration of
trademarks,
service marks, patents, and
copyrights.
Public Sector Privatization and
Procurement
significant
experience in public sector procurement laws and regulations as well as
government
contracts.
The Firm has
assisted and represented clients in government tenders related to oil
& gas, utilities,
defense, constructions,
and transportations. Our attorneys have also represented clients in
disputes with
various
privatization
in the
on
privatization issues and assisting in the implementation of
privatization projects.