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Damien R. Lyster
Damien R. Lyster
Partner — Energy Regulation
E: dlyster@velaw.com T: +1.713.758.2025
VCard BIO PDF
Partner — Energy Regulation

Damien R. Lyster

Damien R. Lyster
Houston
T: +1.713.758.2025
F: +1.713.615.5046

Texas Tower
845 Texas Avenue
Suite 4700
Houston, Texas 77002

Washington, D.C.
T: +1.202.639.6729
F: +1.202.879.8909

2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 500 West
Washington, D.C. 20037

E: dlyster@velaw.com
VCard BIO PDF
Damien R. Lyster

Damien represents companies in the energy industry in transactional and regulatory matters. He has advised clients on numerous transactional and state and federal regulatory issues related to the production, gathering, transportation, and storage of natural gas; the transportation, terminaling, and storage of liquid hydrocarbons; power sales and marketing; and the sale or acquisition of natural gas, oil, and electric power commodities and assets.

Damien has represented gas and liquids pipeline and storage companies and shippers in negotiating commercial agreements and pursuing applicable authorizations from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Texas Railroad Commission, as well as gas and liquids midstream companies and gas and oil exploration and production companies in drafting and negotiating gathering, processing and transportation agreements. He has also represented FERC-regulated wholesale power market participants in regulatory and compliance matters. Damien has represented clients in administrative litigation before FERC, in FERC enforcement investigations, and in ratemaking proceedings before FERC and the Texas Railroad Commission. He has also represented gas and liquids transmission providers, owners of electric generation, and power marketers before the Department of State, Department of Energy, and FERC.

Experience Highlights

  • Represented natural gas utilities in rate case proceedings and settlement negotiations before the Texas Railroad Commission

  • Represented various natural gas pipelines and shippers in the negotiation and drafting of precedent agreements for intrastate natural gas pipeline projects, including critical intrastate pipeline infrastructure from the Permian Basin to market centers in Texas

  • Prepared and prosecuted applications for certificates of public convenience and necessity to construct or modify natural gas storage facilities totaling approximately 59 Bcf of working gas capacity, and to obtain or affirm market-based rate authorization and obtain approval of market-based rate tariffs for storage and hub services

  • Represented power marketers in complaint proceedings and administrative litigation before FERC related to allegations of market manipulation 

  • Represented oil pipelines and shippers in negotiating and drafting FERC-regulated transportation service agreements and tariffs, and assisted in developing open seasons for FERC-regulated transportation service

  • Represented investors, generators, and power marketers in obtaining and maintaining authorization to sell energy and ancillary services at market-based rates and compliance with FERC market-based rate regulation

  • Prepared and filed applications for negotiated rate authority for merchant transmission projects, including the authority to subscribe up to 75% of the project capacity with anchor tenants

  • Represented numerous clients in the negotiation and drafting of midstream agreements, including natural gas gathering, natural gas processing, NGL transportation, refined petroleum products transportation, and agreements for the sale and purchase of natural gas and liquids  

  • Prepared, filed, and prosecuted application with the Department of Energy for renewal of authorization to export electricity from the United States to Canada

  • Advised and assisted clients with authorizations to construct FERC-regulated natural gas storage facilities through FERC’s blanket certificate program, including preparation and prosecution of prior notice applications

  • Represented natural gas and oil pipeline companies in administrative proceedings at FERC related to cost-of-service rates and FERC ratemaking policy, including income tax allowance policy and return on equity policy

  • Represented various gas market participants in negotiation and drafting of gas purchase and sale agreements and asset management arrangements for transportation capacity

  • Represented natural gas producers, gatherers, and marketers active in the Marcellus and Utica Shales in the negotiation and drafting of midstream agreements, including gas and liquids gathering, processing, and sale and purchase agreements

  • Prepared, submitted, and prosecuted applications before the Department of State for Presidential Permits for liquids pipelines border crossings

  • Prepared and filed applications for market-based rate authority for sales of energy and ancillary services, change in status notifications, and requests for Category 1 status for electric market participants

  • Advised a natural gas utility regarding recovery of extraordinary natural gas costs in Texas Railroad Commission proceeding

  • Represented crude oil pipelines in Texas in obtaining approval of new FERC and Texas Railroad Commission tariffs and new cost-of-service, incentive, and settlement rates for interstate and intrastate movements on regulated pipelines

  • Assisted shippers and project sponsors in negotiation and development of intrastate and NGPA Section 311 rates and terms and conditions of service on intrastate natural gas pipelines in Texas

  • Assisted crude oil pipelines and developers in analyzing FERC jurisdictional determinations and related regulatory issues, and entering into transportation agreements for FERC-jurisdictional service

  • Drafted, revised, and filed initial tariff and tariff modifications for open-access natural gas storage and hub services

  • Prepared and filed application for market-based rates and affirmation of market-based rate authority for natural gas storage companies

  • Represented electric market participants in FERC enforcement matters related to MISO, NYISO, and California ISO and PX markets

  • Represented an oil pipeline client in complaint proceedings and administrative litigation before FERC

  • Represented a FERC-regulated company in a self-report of potential statutory and regulatory compliance issues to FERC’s Office of Enforcement

  • Conducted regulatory assessment and commercial agreement diligence on behalf of lenders to and investors in distributed energy projects throughout the United States

  • Represented private equity investor in negotiation of natural gas, oil, and produced water midstream agreements in connection with investment in independent midstream company developing assets in the Vaca Muerta shale play in Argentina

  • Assisted developer of renewable energy and battery storage projects in drafting and negotiating commercial agreements related to the sale of energy and ancillary services to integrated power company

  • Represented producers of liquids-rich gas in drafting and negotiating gathering, processing and purchase agreements for assets in the Woodford Shale and Permian Basin, and in addressing issues related to claims of competing dedications and continued development of assets amidst such claims

  • Represented an oil producer in the drafting of carbon dioxide processing and transportation agreements in connection with enhanced oil recovery operations 

  • Assisted major natural gas and oil midstream companies and exploration and production companies in drafting and negotiating natural gas gathering, processing, and sales agreements, as well as general midstream services agreements for gas and oil gathering assets, in the Appalachian Basin 

  • Represented a crude oil producer with assets in the Permian Basin in drafting and negotiating a crude oil gathering agreement and transportation services agreement on new third-party crude oil pipelines

  • Represented an oil and gas exploration and production company with assets in the Rocky Mountain region in drafting and negotiating a throughput and deficiency agreement for capacity on a new FERC-jurisdictional crude oil pipeline 

  • Assisted a natural gas producer in drafting and negotiating gas sales agreements for dedicated production in the Haynesville Shale 

  • Conducted regulatory assessment and due diligence on behalf of lenders and purchasers in connection with the acquisition of power generation facilities, natural gas pipeline facilities, and liquids pipeline facilities 

Credentials

  • University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 2008 (Managing Board, Virginia Law Review; Dillard Scholar)
  • University of Iowa, B.A., Economics, Russian, and Global Studies with distinction and with honors, 2003
  • Chambers Global, Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation)(USA), 2022 and 2023; “Up and Coming” in Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation)(USA), 2022 and 2023
  • Chambers USA, Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation)(Nationwide), 2021 and 2022; “Up and Coming” in Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation)(Nationwide), 2021 and 2022
  • Legal 500 U.S., Energy Regulation: Oil & Gas, 2019–2022
  • Selected to the Washington, D.C. Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2017 and 2018 (when practicing in the D.C. office)
  • Selected to the 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023
  • Energy Bar Association: Member, Professional Education Council (2016–2017); Co-Chair, Professional Education Committee (2017–2018)
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • “FERC Tax Orders Webcast & Teleconference,” March 23, 2018 (speaker)
  • “FERC Order on Marketing Affiliates Under the ICA,” V&E Energy Regulation Insights E-communication, December 11, 2017 (co-author)

News & Insights

Deals & Cases
Energy Transfer to Acquire Lotus Midstream in $1.45 Billion Transaction
March 27, 2023
Rankings & Awards
Lawdragon Names 55 Vinson & Elkins Lawyers to 2023 500 Leading Energy Lawyers List
March 17, 2023
Deals & Cases
Enbridge Inc. Acquires Tres Palacios Holdings LLC for $335 Million
March 2, 2023
Deals & Cases
Harvest Midstream Announces Agreement to Purchase Paradigm Midstream, LLC
February 28, 2023