John B. Connally IV
Texas Tower
845 Texas Avenue
Suite 4700
Houston, Texas 77002
We are fortunate to have clients who have entrusted us with their significant matters on a repeat basis over the years. I think the reason clients return is that they trust our judgment, as well as our responsiveness. When they choose V&E, they have access to a deep bench of experienced, well-trained lawyers across multiple relevant disciplines. John B. Connally is the head of V&E’s Energy Transactions and Projects group. Considered one of the country’s preeminent oil and gas transactional lawyers, John B. represents a wide range of clients, including public companies, private enterprises and private equity firms, in domestic and international upstream and midstream mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and development transactions.
Over the course of more than two decades John B. has developed strong relationships with his clients that regularly lead to repeat engagements.
John B.’s oil and gas transactional practice has been recognized by Chambers USA from 2009 through 2020. A source quoted by Chambers said “he truly understands the details and nuances of the oil and gas space.” Another said John B. “is thorough, works extremely hard, is pleasant to deal with and effectively represents his clients” (2019).
John B. is a member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN). He serves on the Advisory Council of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law & Business at the University of Texas and on the Development Board.
John B. is a member of the firm’s Management Committee.
Experience Highlights
Midland-Petro D.C. Partners in a joint venture with Andros Capital Partners, in which Andros’ affiliate Andros Permian will fund approximately $150 million for the development of oil and gas properties in the highly productive Spraberry and Wolfcamp formations in Midland County, Texas
Antero Resources Corporation in a $402 million structured overriding royalty interest transaction with an affiliate of Sixth Street
Continental Resources in its $220 million sale of mineral rights in the SCOOP and STACK oil and gas plays to, and formation of a joint venture with, Franco-Nevada Corporation
Devon Energy in the $2 billion sale of certain non-core upstream assets to multiple buyers in east Texas, the Anadarko Basin, the northern and central Midland Basin, and northern Oklahoma
Devon Energy Corp. in the $8.84 billion contribution of substantially all of its U.S. midstream business to Crosstex Energy and Crosstex Energy to form a consolidated midstream business controlled by Devon
Equinor (formerly Statoil) in the $4.7 billion acquisition of Brigham Exploration Company, a public exploration and production company
Devon Energy in the $2.3 billion sale of U.S. oil and gas properties in 10 states to Linn Energy Holdings
Concho Resources in its $1.65 billion acquisition of the oil and gas assets of Marbob Energy Corporation and affiliated entities
QEP Resources in the $1.38 billion acquisition from multiple sellers of oil and gas assets in the Williston Basin
Wishbone Energy Partners in the $300 million sale (via $270 million cash and $30 million common stock) of its North Central Basin Platform assets located primarily in Texas and New Mexico to Ring Energy
Devon Energy Corporation in the $7 billion sale of all of its Brazilian, deep Gulf of Mexico, and Azerbaijan assets to BP, as well as its purchase of a 50 percent interest in an oil sands project in Alberta, Canada
Ute Energy, a Quantum Energy Partners Portfolio company, in the $784 million sale of Ute Energy Upstream Holdings to publicly traded, Canada-based Crescent Point Energy
Concho Resources in the $1 billion acquisition of the oil and gas assets of Three Rivers Operating Company, located in the Permian Basin
Pioneer Natural Resources in the $155 million sale of its Barnett Shale assets
QEP Resources, Inc., in two agreements to sell oil and gas assets in the Cana-Woodford and Granite Wash plays in the Western Anadarko Basin in Texas and Oklahoma for a combined price of approximately $772 million
Citrus Energy Corporation in the sale of its Marcellus assets to Warren Resources, Inc. for $352.5 million
TPG Special Situations Partners (TSSP) in its agreement between the operating subsidiary of Legacy Reserves LP and funds managed by TSSP to jointly fund horizontal development of certain of Legacy’s Spraberry, Wolfcamp and Bone Spring rights in the Permian Basin
Equinor (formerly Statoil) in its $3.3 billion joint venture with Chesapeake Energy to develop Marcellus Shale gas assets
Reliance Industries Ltd. in its $1.7 billion joint venture with Atlas Energy for development of approximately 300,000 acres in the Marcellus Shale
Devon Energy in its $2.5 billion joint venture with Sinopec for five shale plays (Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, Niobrara, Mississippian, Ohio Utica Shale, and Michigan Basin)
Pioneer Natural Resources in its $1.3 billion joint venture with Reliance Industries for the development of acreage in the Eagle Ford Shale
Devon Energy in the sale of a 30% stake in 650,000 shale acres in the Permian Basin (Cline Shale and Midland-Wolfcamp Shale) to Japan’s Sumitomo for $1.45 billion
Credentials
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with high honors, 1997 (Chancellors; Order of the Coif; Texas Law Review)
- Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1994 (Phi Beta Kappa; Founder’s Medal)
- Chambers Global, Energy & Natural Resources (USA), 2015−2017; Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)(USA), 2016 and 2018−2022
- Chambers USA, Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) (Nationwide), 2009−2021
- Latin Lawyer 250, 2014−2015, 2017−2018, and 2020
- Legal 500 U.S, “Leading Lawyer” in Energy: Transactions- Oil & Gas, 2016−2020; Energy: Renewable/Alternative, 2017−2021; Energy Transactions, 2012−2020; Finance: Project Finance, 2011, 2018−2021; “Hall of Fame” in Energy: Transactions – Oil & Gas, 2021
- Who’s Who Legal (Law Business Research Ltd.), Energy, 2015−2017 and 2020
- Legal 500 Latin America, Corporate and M&A, 2012–2013; Projects and Energy, 2017
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), (Houston): Corporate Law, 2007−2017, 2020−2022; Energy Law, 2007−2017, 2020−2022; Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2007−2022
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), “Lawyer of the Year,” (Houston): Energy Law, 2021; Mergers & Acquisitions, 2022
- The University of Texas School of Law, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, 2014
- Ex-Students’ Association of The University of Texas, Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award, 2013
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) 2013−2014, 2016−2020, and 2022
- Selected to the Texas Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2004−2008, 2011, and 2013
- Selected to the New York Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2011
- IFLR1000, 2020 and 2021
- Selected to the 500 Leading Dealmakers in America, Lawdragon, 2022
- Advisory Board: Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law & Business
- Advisory Board: Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law
- Advisory Director: Phi Beta Kappa
- Texas
- New York
- Rankings & AwardsMay 10, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 29, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 17, 2022
- Event RecapOctober 14, 2021
- IFLR1000 2021 Recognizes Vinson & Elkins in 21 Practice Categories, Recommends 52 Individual LawyersRankings & AwardsAugust 25, 2021
- Rankings & AwardsMay 12, 2021
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 18, 2021
- Deals & CasesFebruary 17, 2021
- Rankings & AwardsDecember 15, 2020
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 19, 2020
- Event RecapOctober 15, 2020
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 2, 2020
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 20, 2020
- Deals & CasesAugust 11, 2020
- Deals & CasesJuly 16, 2020
- Rankings & AwardsJune 16, 2020
- Deals & CasesJune 15, 2020
- Rankings & AwardsApril 23, 2020
- InsightApril 6, 2020
V&E Energy Update
- Rankings & AwardsApril 6, 2020
- InsightApril 2, 2020
Mergers & Acquisitions Update
- Event RecapMarch 16, 2020
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 13, 2020
- “Tenth Annual Hydraulic Fracturing Symposium,” V&E Houston Office, October 15, 2020 (speaker)
- “Ninth Annual Hydraulic Fracturing Symposium,” V&E Houston Office, October 3, 2019 (speaker)
- “Eighth Annual Hydraulic Fracking Symposium,” V&E Houston Office, October 3, 2018 (speaker)
- “Seventh Annual Hydraulic Fracturing Symposium,” V&E Houston Office, October 4, 2017 (speaker)
- “Thoughts for Officers and Directors of E&P Companies and MLPs in 2016,” V&E website, January 19, 2016 (co-author)