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MANAGING EDITOR
Brit Brown
Beirne, Maynard,
& Parsons L.L.P.
Houston, Texas
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Janice Hartrick
Dallas, Texas
INTERNATIONAL EDITOR
Lonnie L. Johnson
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Houston, Texas
OIL AND GAS EDITOR
Daniel McClure
Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P.
Houston, Texas
POWER/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY EDITOR
Mark S. Snell
Managing Attorney -
GP&R Transactions
BP America, Inc.
Houston, Texas
INSTITUTE FOR
ENERGY LAW
The Center for American and International Law
5201 Democracy Dr. Plano, Texas 75024
Tel: 972.244.3400
Fax: 972.244.340
Rick J. Plaeger, II
Chair, IEL Advisory Board
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
EOG Resources Inc.
Houston, Texas
David B. Winn
IEL Director and
CAIL Vice President
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Volume 1, No.1 -- September 2007 |
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| Welcome From The Editorial Board
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Welcome to the inaugural issue of IEL's new newsletter, The Energy Law Advisor (ELA). Published quarterly, the ELA will be distributed via email to all members. Because the Institute for Energy Law brings together some of the best minds from every area of the energy industry, the ELA is a wonderful vehicle for both tapping their understanding of the key legal issues facing the industry and for reaching the people who need the information. Each issue will include brief discussions of industry news, including editorials, discussion and analysis of legal and industry events. Each issue will also include a Members in the News section and provide a Calendar of Events showing upcoming IEL activities. Concurrent with this first issue, the IEL
is also launching its Online Forum, which will enable members to discuss online issues relevant to the industry. Please refer to the Members in the News section for instructions for logging into the Forum. We invite all members to participate in the Forum and also to offer news or submissions for future newsletters. We also invite your commentary and feedback about the newsletter any time. |
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Energy Bills Increase Renewable Energy Mandates and Tax Oil Companies
Submitted by Mark R. Robeck, Baker Botts, L.L.P.
On September 4, 2007, the Senate received the House of Representatives’ version of sweeping new energy legislation in a pair of companion bills. The bills raise taxes on oil companies and emphasize the use of renewable energy through new mandates on existing energy companies and incentives for the development of “green” energy sources.
Get the full story. |
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How Will the EPA React to Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency?
Submitted by Benjamin A. Escobar, Beirne, Maynard, & Parson L.L.P.
On April 2, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, ruled that the EPA has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases. The decision, in part, was based on finding that greenhouse gases (“GHG”) are pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
Get the full story. |
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Lawsuit Filed in California could have Impact on Future Drilling Operations in or near
National Forests
In late April of this year, three environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division, seeking an injunction against expansion of oil and gas drilling in the Los Padres National Forest. Center for Biological Diversity et al v. Weingardt et al, Case # 2:07-cv-00770-FCD-KJM.
Get the full story. |
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District of Columbia Court of Appeals Affirms FERC Order Requiring Pipeline Companies to Expense Certain Program Costs
In Interstate Natural Gas Ass'n of American v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, --F.3d--, 2007 WL 2089743 (D.C. Cir. July 24, 2007), the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia affirmed Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's accounting order, instructing natural gas pipeline companies to expense the cost of certain programs, including the cost of writing Integrity Management Programs ("IMPs").
Get the full story. |
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Supreme Court Holds Remand Order not Reviewable Based on Question of Company’s Status as a Foreign Sovereign
The Supreme Court recently held that a district court’s decision to remand a case, in part based on determination that an energy company owned by foreign government is not a foreign state under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, could not be appealed.
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Marathon Oil to Buy Western Oil Sands
After pursuing Canadian oil-sands investments for over a year, Marathon Oil Corp. has agreed to buy Western Oil Sands, Inc. for $5.46 billion. The deal will allow Marathon to access crude deposits in the tar-soaked sands of Alberta, Canada.
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BP Denies Rumors of Merger with Shell
Some investors viewed some recent moves by Shell as indications of a merger with BP. Most recently, Shell spurred speculation by announcing a move to simplify its North American business.
Get the full story. |
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Brit Brown |
Janice Hartrick |
Brit T. Brown (Beirne, Maynard, & Parsons L.L.P., Houston), recently named chair of the IEL Website & Technology Committee, is the Managing Editor of The Energy Law Advisor, a quarterly publication launched by the Institute for Energy Law this month. Janice Hartrick (Dallas) will serve as the publication's Assistant Editor. |
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| Brit and Janice will be assisted by practice committee editors Lonnie L. Johnson (Exxon Mobil, Houston), Mark S. Snell (BP America, Inc., Houston) and Dan McClure (Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP, Houston). |
Mark Snell |
Dan McClure |
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| Blaine D. Edwards has begun his new in-house role as Associate General Counsel - Litigation for BJ Services Company. Formerly a litigator with Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, L.L.P., Blaine has extensive experience in the areas of complex commercial, contract, transportation, toxic torts, and products liability litigation in the energy and other industries. His experience also includes nationwide class action cases. |
Blaine Edwards |
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Bruce Kramer |
Bruce M. Kramer has become Of Counsel to McGinnis, Lockridge & Gilgore, L.L.P. A preeminent oil, gas, energy, and land use legal scholar and long-time professor at Texas Tech University School of Law, Kramer is a member of IEL's Executive Committee and serves as Administrative Editor of its Oil & Gas Reporter. |
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Frederick J. Plaeger II, IEL Advisory Board Chair and Senior Vice President and General Counsel of EOG Resources, Inc., will be presented the "Lifetime Achievement" Award by the Texas General Counsel Forum at its Annual Conference in San Antonio on November
1, 2007.
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Rick Plaeger |
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Law of LNG Conference
September 18-19, 2007 | Houston, Texas |
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International Energy Law, Contracts and Negotiations:
Part 1: Upstream Issues & Agreements
September 24-28, 2007 | Houston, Texas |
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International Energy Law, Contracts and Negotiations:
Part 2: Downstream Issues & Agreements
October 1-5, 2007 | Houston, Texas |
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Energy Litigation Conference
October 10, 2007 | Houston, Texas |
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Oil & Gas Short Course
October 15-19, 2007 | Westminster, Colorado |
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Annual IEL Advisory Board Meeting & Dinner
February 20, 2008 | Houston, Texas |
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59th Annual Oil & Gas Law Conference
February 21-22, 2008 | Houston, Texas |
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Power & Alternative Energy Law Conference
Spring 2008 | Houston, Texas |
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Institute for Natural Resources Law Teachers
Summer 2008 |
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International Oil & Gas Law Conference
Summer 2008 | London, England |
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