• Carla Christofferson
      400 South Hope Street
      Los Angeles, CA, 90071
      Phone: +1-213-430-8359
      Fax: +1-213-430-6407
  • Brian Currey
      400 South Hope Street
      Los Angeles, CA, 90071
      Phone: +1-213-430-6685
      Fax: +1-213-430-6407
  • Charles Read
      400 South Hope Street
      Los Angeles, CA, 90071
      Phone: +1-213-430-7500
      Fax: +1-213-430-6407
  • Gregory Thorpe
      400 South Hope Street
      Los Angeles, CA, 90071
      Phone: +1-213-430-6593
      Fax: +1-213-430-6407
  • Sharon Tomkins
      400 South Hope Street
      Los Angeles, CA, 90071
      Phone: +1-213-430-6339
      Fax: +1-213-430-6407
  • Todd Triller
      Times Square Tower
      7 Times Square
      New York, NY, 10036
      Phone: +1-212-326-2253
      Fax: +1-212-326-2061
PROFESSIONALS

  • AIG
    American Capital Strategies
    Apollo Management L.P.
    Bank of America, N.A
    Beowulf Energy
    Bicent (California) Power
    BNP Paribas
    Credit Suisse
    Dynegy
    Edison International
    Edison Mission Energy
    ExxonMobil
    Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
    Honeywell
    Marubeni
    Moncada Energy Group
    Morgan Stanley
    Norsk Hydro ASA
    PG&E
    Sithe Global
    SolarReserve
    Southern California Edison
    Trust Company of the West Energy and Infrastructure Group
    Verso Paper

Energy and Natural Resources

With long-term global demand for energy projected to rise and the regulatory environment changing, the energy industry faces many challenges and opportunities to develop and expand its business interests, from traditional carbon fuels to renewables and nuclear plants. As companies forge ahead, pursuing the right legal strategy is critical to minimize risk, maximize gains, and remain competitive.

Trusted as an energy advisor for more than a century, O’Melveny counsels industry clients in some of their most challenging cases and innovative transactions. For example, in 2007, we won the key regulatory approval that cleared the way for the completion of a US$22 billion leveraged buyout of pipeline operator Kinder Morgan. We also recently negotiated the largest wind energy power purchase contract ever signed in the United States. Our pioneering energy work dates as far back as 1891, when we advised on the construction of one of the earliest hydroelectric plants. To this day, O’Melveny continues to provide energy utilities, developers, operators, and investors with deep sector-specific knowledge and a practical business approach to resolving disputes and closing deals drawing on the strength of the Firm’s Energy, Natural Resources and Environment (ENRE) Practice.

Key Facts

  • O'Melveny's energy and appellate lawyers scored two major victories in 2008 in the U.S. Supreme Court. In the first case, we persuaded the Court to slash the punitive damages award against Exxon related to the Valdez supertanker oil spill, litigation which the firm had handled for almost 20 years. In the second case, on behalf of Morgan Stanley, O'Melveny achieved a reversal of a decision of the Ninth Circuit, significantly narrowing the circumstances under which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could alter the terms of long-term wholesale power contracts.
  • Our lawyers recently completed negotiating a series of contracts for the ongoing purchase of wholesale power for electric utilities, including Southern California Edison Company's groundbreaking wind energy power purchase and development agreement with Alta Windpower Development, LLC for 1,500 MW of power.
  • O’Melveny’s far-reaching work was recognized by Asian Legal Business, which honored us with its inaugural "China Deals of the Year Award" in the Energy, Mining, and Resources category for our role as international counsel in the negotiation and execution of US$20 billion of long-term sales contracts for liquid natural gas (LNG).
  • Energy partner, Charles Read, and transactional energy partner Greg Thorpe were both named by Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business (California - Energy & Projects) (2009).   Read was also recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and Who's Who in American Law: California (2009).

Practice Strengths

  • Carbon Emissions/Climate Change
    • Prompted by greenhouse gas legislation, many companies are investing in carbon credits and manufacturing low-emissions products. An O’Melveny lawyer presently serves on the planning teams of a large, integrated energy producer as it prepares and executes strategies for responding to state, regional, and federal carbon emissions controls, trading markets, and new technology.
  • Clean Energy Technology
  • Climate Change
  • Electric Energy
    • Some of the most important changes in the energy industry are taking place in the electricity sector. In one of the first efforts to acquire generation assets by an investor-owned utility in the post-deregulation environment, O'Melveny served as principal counsel to Southern California Edison Company (SCE) in its acquisition of the Mountainview Power Project from a subsidiary of InterGen. As a result of the transaction, SCE significantly increased its power generation capacity in Southern California, and has stronger protection against price and availability spikes.
  • Oil and Natural Gas
    • Gas projects often require complex chains of physical infrastructure and commercial agreements to deliver gas to markets. Increasingly, the opportunity-rich LNG segment represents a significant part of the natural gas supply around the world. With our experience in creating value for clients in these intricate markets, O’Melveny advised CNOOC in its acquisition of an interest in the Muturi block, one of three blocks of the Indonesian Tangguh LNG project, from British Gas Group for US$98.1 million.  We have also represented Brasoil, a start-up exploration and production company, in connection with its acquisition of producing and development properties in Brazil and its financing arrangements.
  • Pipelines
    • Our pipeline experience dates back to the early years of the Southern California oil and gas industries. We represented the owners of the mammoth Trans Alaska Pipeline System in defending its cost recovery, and today advise on the environmental, construction, and regulatory issues facing some of the sponsors of the proposed natural gas pipeline serving the same North Slope production fields. We have handled pipeline accident matters, as well as mergers, changes of control, and master-limited partnership restructurings in this sector.
  • Public Utilities
    • O’Melveny is one of a few major firms with experience in the regulatory intricacies of energy-related public utilities. On both the national and state level, actual or potential public utility status can be a critical factor in structuring transactions, gaining essential approvals, assuring cost recovery from ratepayers, and dealing with regulatory investigations. Our deal lawyers work closely with regulatory lawyers to fashion client strategies at FERC and the state utility commission.
  • Renewable Energy
    • O’Melveny is sought after by renewable energy companies worldwide. Our team has worked on over 20 utility scale wind energy projects in the US.  For example, we recently advised Edison Mission Energy in the acquisition of a US$380 million wind energy project in Texas, expected to produce 150 megawatts of renewable power. On the state and federal level, O’Melveny has provided regulatory advice to bidders for control of the world’s largest operating solar power production facility.  We also recently advised lenders in connection with construction loans for hydroelectric and geothermal energy plants.

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