Energy Litigation

Attorneys within this practice are counsel to a wide range of interests in the energy field, including those of oil and gas producers and operators, pipeline companies, oilfield service companies, and landowners and royalty owners. In addition, we provide counsel in the areas of energy lending, regulatory oversight and proceedings (Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation, Louisiana Public Service Commission and Minerals Management Service), wetlands regulation, and all related litigation matters. Our representation covers virtually every aspect of legal and regulatory matters affecting energy exploration, production, sale, transmission, refining, and use.

We handle all manner of energy and mineral law disputes, including disputes with lessors, royalty owners, contractors, operators, regulators, and vendors, as well as water bottom disputes, gas balancing actions, deferred production claims, actions to enforce mineral liens, NORM removal, and trade secrets litigation.

Our attorneys also have experience with a host of government and regulatory issues affecting the oil and gas industry, including coastal use permitting, environmental regulations (such as Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), severance tax litigation, oilfield legacy litigation, criminal investigations, and lease disputes. We represent clients before the Department of Revenue, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Quality, the State Mineral Board, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Justice.

We also represent companies in the oil and gas and oilfield service industries in complex litigation arising out of both onshore and offshore incidents. We have defend companies in litigation concerning potential exposure for accidents involving natural gas pipelines, compression services, down-hole drilling, well perforation, and other various oilfield services. We have defended numerous claims arising out of oilfield fires, explosions, and industrial accidents to successful resolution, and have broad experience in litigating such matters arising under both state and federal law. In addition, we routinely provide advice to clients on the enforcement of indemnity and insurance provisions in master service agreements in light of the provisions of the Louisiana Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Act, and the effects of same on exposure and defense obligations in complex oilfield litigation.

Select representative matters include:

• Representing oil and gas companies in defense of alleged property damage claims.
• Representing oil and gas company in natural resource damage assessment claim by state and federal trustees regarding oil and gas well blow out.
• Representing current mineral lease operator to defend environmental claims stemming from oilfield legacy litigation.
• Representing a publicly traded exploration and production company in multiple severance tax lawsuits filed by the Department of Revenue.
• Successful defense at trial in representation of an oilfield pressure control company defending $200 million claims of trade secret misappropriation in Texas state court.
• Successful defense of an energy service company in litigation spanning a period of five years regarding the failed acquisition of an oilfield rental tool company.
• Representing the defendant in a federal civil penalty case brought by U.S. Department of Justice for EPA against facility located in Ville Platte, Louisiana over National Pollutant Discharge Elimination (NPDES) permitting issues.