Energy Production, Oil and Gas Exploration and Development
Our attorneys represent clients in all aspects of energy law, nationally and worldwide, from energy policy, to nuts-and-bolts energy permitting, licensing and litigation issues. Our attorneys have substantial experience with the legal business issues facing energy producers in energy exploration, development and production, and power generation.
Comprehensive Energy Services
Troutman Sanders attorneys have experience in the specialized and often complex legal issues involved with energy development, oil and gas exploration and production, and power generation. Providing assistance in this specialized field requires a full-service approach using a breadth of legal knowledge and expertise in several crucial areas of law:
- Resource Law: Large-scale land and lease transactions, bidding and purchase; interaction with government land resource agencies such as the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Minerals Management Service (MMS).
- Agency Reviews: Reviews by BLM, MMS, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); Department of Commerce's Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) consistency determinations, and state and local laws.
- Licenses, Approvals, and Regulatory Compliance: Clean Air Act (CAA) and Clean Water Act (CWA) permitting and compliance, as well as Oil Pollution Act (OPA), Pipeline Safety Act, and emergency planning and preparedness requirements.
- Post-Production and Energy Delivery: Transportation, royalty and rate issues before the Department of Transportation (DOT) (Research and Special Programs Administration, and Pipeline Safety), DOI, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Knowledge of the Process and the Agencies Involved
Successful energy production and delivery involves several levels of government approval before a development project can deliver energy to the consumer. Troutman Sanders has a wealth of experience with all relevant government agencies and approval processes involved, and can assist your company in strategic planning for your energy project.
Developing Energy Law and Policy
Our Washington, D.C. office is actively involved with National Energy Policy and related developments within Congress and Federal Agencies. Our attorneys regularly practice before the federal agencies and are in touch with the cutting edge developments in energy policy nationally and worldwide.
Sample Representations
Troutman Sanders attorneys recently have represented clients in several recent, major litigation and policy issues affecting energy production, including Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration and Development permits and associated issues under the CWA, CAA, NEPA, and CZMA.
Troutman Sanders serves as environmental counsel to a petroleum pipeline company in the Southwestern U.S. that is converting an interstate line from carrying crude oil to refined products. Troutman attorneys have assisted this client through various stages of federal litigation involving application of the NEPA, and have provided counsel regarding compliance with the Endangered Species Act, and the rapidly-tightening regulatory program administered by the DOT's Office of Pipeline Safety under the Oil Pollution Act and the Hazardous Liquids Pipeline Safety Act. In the course of this representation, we have led negotiations with the U.S. Department of Justice, White House Council on Environmental Quality, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, and DOT. Our work has helped the client establish itself as a leader in pipeline safety and environmental performance, positioning itself to have significant credibility among federal and state regulatory agencies.
Troutman Sanders also provides environmental regulatory counsel to a national energy company with respect to an intrastate pipeline in the mid-Atlantic region. The line has been shut down in the wake of a significant spill. Troutman attorneys are working with the client to win approval for restarting the line by developing and implementing a strategy to comply with a corrective action order issued by the Office of Pipeline Safety and the Agency's new environmental regulations.
Troutman Sanders also serves as environmental counsel to some of the largest power-producing companies in the United States on a variety of legal issues, including regulatory and transactional issues.