Transactional - Oil and Gas
Overview
Meyers Nave’s transactional practice spans the full range of energy transactions. We have considerable experience in handling the many different agreements required in the oil and gas industry as our clients seek to explore, develop, produce, transport or abandon oil and gas producing properties.We have advised clients on lease negotiations, joint venture and operating agreements, financing, production purchase and sales agreements, and sales of oil and gas producing properties.
In regards to the many aspects of oil and gas title issues, our attorneys provide title review and title opinions, litigate and ultimately resolve title disputes—not only in California, but in other oil producing states as well. Clients often request us to examine the title and the preparation of acquisition, drilling, division order and financing opinions covering fee and federal properties.
We are highly skilled in crafting agreements relating to the acquisition or divestiture of such properties. Meyers Nave regularly represents both purchasers and sellers of producing properties and exploration prospects. Our lawyers can rapidly assemble due diligence teams on behalf of clients in order to respond to their time-sensitive needs. Our in-depth title knowledge allows us to provide an experienced team in dealing with oil and gas acquisition and divestiture transactions. Meanwhile, our environmental lawyers can advise on successor liability issues, Phase I and Phase II assessments, and other environmental concerns.
We represent our clients on a wide variety of regulatory issues, from advising them on statutory and regulatory changes to securing all necessary licenses, permits and entitlements for drilling and producing oil and gas. This aspect of our practice involves working on a day-to-day basis with the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, and other state and federal regulators, as well as helping our clients obtain land use permits and entitlements from local governments. We also assist in the everyday legal issues that face operators in California, from obtaining permits for producing equipment to working with environmental regulators. In addition, we advise clients and interact with legislators and regulators regarding matters affecting the energy industry in California.
Our oil and gas lawyers also possess financing experience. We represent clients on project financings secured by upstream oil and gas assets: from the preparation of enforceability opinions for the financing transactions to advising clients on UCC and secured transaction issues. On the investment side of the business, we help clients form corporations and limited liability companies as well as advise them on corporate governance and operations, develop joint venture companies and shareholder agreements, limited partnerships, net profits interests and production payment arrangements.
Due to the breadth of our attorneys’ expertise, we have a thorough understanding of the various California and federal environmental laws and regulations, such as Clean Water Act; Clean Air Act; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA); as well as local land use zoning laws to name just a few. We also respond to environmental and other problems, such as dealing with the California Department of Fish & Game and other agencies on oil spills, as well as working with Regional Water Quality Control Boards and Air Quality Management Districts, on water, soil and air pollution issues.