Energy Contract Disputes

Represented U.S. exploration and production company in the Louisiana Supreme Court in a US$70 million oil and gas dispute dealing with whether a joint operating agreement (JOA), written on the AAPL model form, covers future-acquired leases in the absence, from the JOA, of an area of mutual interest provision

(Tex. App. − El Paso) ; (Tex. Dist. — El Paso Cty.) — Defended a Houston-based energy firm and obtained a favorable jury verdict in a $400 million (net) damage suit arising from the termination of an oil supply contract with a refinery involving claims of usury, breach of contract, fraud, and various business torts; the matter was upheld by the El Paso Court of Appeals, and petition before the Texas Supreme Court was denied

(Tex. Dist.) — Obtained a take-nothing jury verdict in a case against a major oil company involving contract and tort claims arising out of an assignment of rights under an operating agreement in which the plaintiff sought damages in excess of $100 million

(Tex. Dist.) — Represented multiple oil and gas production companies in Texas state court on gas contract disputes involving more than $250 million brought against purchasers, primarily alleging breach of take-or-pay and minimum take provisions in the contracts. These matters were successfully prosecuted, resulting in extensive recoveries by our clients

Represented producer that obtained a take-nothing arbitration award in an AAA-administered arbitration involving claims by limited partners in four oil and gas limited partnerships that the general partners breached the limited partnership agreements and their fiduciary duties by dissolving the limited partnerships and purchasing the properties that had been held in the partnerships

(Tex. Dist.) — Defended multiple oil and gas exploration and production companies in Texas state court in various lawsuits brought by non-operating working interest owners alleging breach of contract under the COPAS accounting provisions of certain Joint Operating Agreements. These matters were successfully defended and/or settled on terms acceptable to our client

Represented a major oil and gas company in an AAA-administered arbitration involving claims arising out of a contract for gas storage services

(S.D. Tex.) — Obtained a favorable jury verdict in federal court in Houston on claims by a California company for breach of a contract relating to the construction of a horizontal drilling rig for use in Japan

Obtained a directed verdict in favor of a major oil company in a case involving breach of contract and tort claims asserted by a working interest owner in a gas field

Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of plaintiff operator in week-long arbitration against co-working interest owner for breach of joint operating agreement