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W. Creighton Smith
W. Creighton Smith
Partner — Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity
Partner — Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity

W. Creighton Smith

W. Creighton Smith
Houston

Texas Tower
845 Texas Avenue
Suite 4700
Houston, Texas 77002

start quote symbolEvery deal is unique and presents its own set of issues and challenges. Each side has its objectives, and we work creatively—in the relative freedom of the private investment space—to bridge gaps and help bring parties together to a mutually beneficial conclusion. We gain a working knowledge of our client’s business and priorities and bring that insight to the next deal they’re involved in.end quote symbol
W. Creighton Smith

Experience Highlights

  • Gulf Coast Ammonia in the financing of a world-scale, hydrogen-based ammonia project in Texas, including the negotiation of equity financing agreements

  • Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners in the acquisition of Glidepath Power, a developer of battery storage and renewable energy projects

  • Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners in connection with various matters related to the equity structuring of its portfolio companies Valley of Fire Solar (the developer of the Gemini integrated 690MW solar PV and 380MW battery storage project in Nevada) and Primergy Solar, LLC (a developer of energy storage and solar power projects in North America)

  • ioneer Ltd. in the formation of a 50/50 joint venture with Sibanye Stillwater to develop the flagship Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project located in Nevada and related development and financing matters

  • SEA Electric, an automotive technology company with a focus on the electrification of commercial vehicles, in its $42 million Series A preferred stock financing

  • Pinto America Growth Fund in connection with the sale of Barri Holdings, a provider of financial services (including international and domestic money transfers, check cashing, and bill payment), to DolEx Dollar Express, Inc.

  • Cockrell Interests LLC in connection with its investment in Esperanza Capital Partners, an energy investment platform focused on the acquisition of high-quality energy and infrastructure assets located in the US Gulf of Mexico

  • The Blackstone Group in the $800 million line of equity commitment to Tamarind Energy, a new exploration and production company focused on South East Asia oil and gas exploration and development

  • TapStone Energy and its CEO in a $500 million line of equity commitment to the company by GSO Capital Partners

  • Avista Capital Partners in its $106 million divesture of its interest in SEA-Vista, a joint venture between SEACOR Holdings and Avista

  • Outrigger Energy II in its equity commitments from NGP Partners and Flatirons IV LLC

  • Talara Capital Management in the $108 million sale of its portfolio company Lighthouse Oil & Gas, LP to White Star Petroleum  

  • Talara Capital Management in its $75 million line of equity commitment to Crescent Pass Energy Holdings

  • Clean Line Energy Partners,  a developer of renewable energy transmission projects, in the $50 million equity investment in the company by Bluescape Resources 

  • Lime Rock Partners in the $118.5 million line of equity commitment to Battlecat Oil & Gas, an exploration and production company focused on South Texas

  • TPG Capital in the $330 million line of equity commitment to Caelus Energy Partners, an oil and natural gas exploration and production company focused on properties in the Asia Pacific region

  • Avista Capital Partners in its $150 million investment in a joint venture with SEACOR Tankers to operate and construct  Jones Act vessels

  • The CEO of Endeavor Energy Holdings in the $100 million formation of the company, focused on thermal and hydroelectric power projects in Africa, and a line of equity commitment by Denham Capital

  • Lime Rock Partners in the formation of Shelf Drilling International Holdings Ltd., a joint venture with Castle Harlan and CHAMP, which acquired 38 shallow water drilling rigs from Transocean for $1.05 billion

  • Lime Rock Partners in its $100 million line of equity commitment to Endurance Resources Holdings, an exploration and production company focused on the Bone Spring oil play in New Mexico

  • Outrigger Energy II in connection with the sale of its DJ Basin natural gas and crude oil gathering and processing assets to Summit Midstream Partners

  • Outrigger Energy in its sale of Outrigger Delaware Operating, Outrigger Southern Delaware Operating and Outrigger Midland Operating to Targa Resources Partners for up to $1.5 billion

  • Vantage Energy in its $2.7 billion sale to Rice Energy 

  • Enbridge Energy Partners in a $2.6 billion joint venture with Marathon Petroleum Corporation to construct the Sandpiper pipeline project, an approximately 610-mile interstate crude oil pipeline originating in North Dakota

  • A water supply and services company in its JV formation and related acquisition of certain real property and water rights and the assets of a water services company

  • Petro Harvester Oil & Gas in its combination with White Marlin Energy Partners to form Rockall Energy, LLC

  • Lime Rock Partners in the acquisition of a majority equity interest in KSW Environmental from Dupré Energy Services

  • TPG Capital in the $979 million acquisition of Ashland Inc.’s global chemical distribution business

  • Triangle Petroleum in the $180 million formation of Caliber Midstream, a joint venture with First Reserve Corporation’s Energy Infrastructure Fund to provide midstream pipeline services for oil, natural gas, and water in North Dakota and Montana

  • Enbridge Energy Company in a $650 million joint venture with Marathon Petroleum to construct the Southern Access Extension Pipeline, a 167-mile pipeline that will transport crude oil from Enbridge’s Flanagan Terminal near Pontiac, Illinois, to an existing crude oil terminal near Patoka, Illinois

  • Oil States International in its $650 million acquisition of The MAC Services Group, a publicly traded Australia-based operator of remote-area mining accommodations

  • Edge Oilfield Services and Summit Oilfield Services in their $300 million sale to Key Energy Services

  • Express Energy Services in its $635 million sale to Macquarie Group, Wachovia Capital Partners, and management

Credentials

  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 1997
  • Princeton University, A.B., Economics cum laude, 1994
  • Selected to the 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023 and 2024
  • Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A (Texas), “Up and Coming”, 2016 and 2017
  • Legal 500 U.S., Energy Transactions, 2017 and 2018
  • IFLR1000, 2020–2023
  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), (Houston): Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2022–2024; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, 2023 and 2024
  • Member: American Bar Association; Houston Bar Association
  • Texas