Oil & Gas Transactions

McGinnis Lochridge routinely assists clients in drafting and negotiating a multitude of commercial and operational agreements. These transactional documents are integral to our clients' success, typically involve unique deal points, and often involve complex and lengthy structures. We have the experience, industry knowledge, and skill necessary to effectively and efficiently structure, draft and negotiate these agreements.

Our transactional clients capitalize on our vast experience in Oil & Gas/Energy Litigation. Our attorneys draw not only upon real-world transactional experience as to what really matters in a deal, but our attorneys also draw upon litigation experience to understand what can go wrong, and how best to mitigate the associated legal risks.

We regularly assist clients in:

• Structuring, drafting and negotiating a multitude of agreements, ranging from short single-purpose agreements to complex, multi-faceted commercial agreements;
• Negotiating, advising and reviewing standard form contracts such as JOAs, MSAs and leases;
• Helping clients with farmout agreements, joint exploration and development agreements, participation agreements, assignments, surface and sub-surface use agreements; and
• Drafting and negotiating addenda to form agreements addressing both changes in case law and changes in the industry and technology.

Additionally, we assist clients with the review of title documents and the preparation of drilling, supplemental, division order and acquisition title opinions.  Our attorneys have prepared opinions for both major publicly traded operators and independents in areas throughout the country including the Williston Basin and DJ Basin, Permian, Utica, Texas and the Gulf Coast.  Our goal is to effectively and economically assist clients with clearing title.  Additionally, we counsel clients on day to day operational matters as well as performing due diligence associated with acquisitions and divestitures.

UPSTREAM SECTOR

• Oil and gas leases
• Joint venture, joint exploration, joint development, and participation agreements
• Joint operating agreements
• Farmout and farmin agreements
• Areas of mutual interest agreements
• Overriding royalties, net profits interests, and production payments
• Pooling and unitization agreements
• Surface use agreements
• Confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements
• Gas balancing agreements
• Water rights, including agreements regarding supply and wastewater treatment and disposal agreements
• Platform sharing agreements

MIDSTREAM SECTOR

• Easement agreements including condemnation proceedings
• Engineering, procurement, and construction agreements
• Underground unitization and storage agreements for natural gas
• Joint ownership agreements
• Pipeline interconnection and operational balancing agreements

OILFIELD SERVICE AND MANUFACTURING CONTRACTS

• Master service agreements
• Drilling and other well service agreements
• Seismic agreements
• Manufacturing and fabrication agreements
• Equipment rental agreements

For more information, please see our Oil and Gas Practice Group Brochure.

Also, our Oil and Gas Practice Group frequently provides tailored education events and "lunch and learn" events for oil and gas land and legal departments, along with CLE and CPL accreditation.  For a listing of our recent and available presentation topics, please see our Oil and Gas Practice Group In-House Presentations and CLEs Brochure.

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