Energy Law

67th Annual Oil & Gas Law Conference

-

Houston, Texas, USA

Past Event

MCLE Credit will be available

JW Marriott Houston - Galleria
5150 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77056

Online registration is closed. You can still register by bringing a completed registration form to the registration desk.

Registrar: +1.972.244.3404
IEL: +1.972.244.3421
Fax: +1.972.244.3401
E-Mail: iel@cailaw.org

Overview

Download the Brochure (pdf)

For more details, download the online brochure.

Conference Co-Chairs

Michael P. Lennon, Jr.
Mayer Brown LLP
Houston, TX

Laura M. Robertson
Deputy General Counsel, Litigation and Arbitration
ConocoPhillips Company
Houston, TX

Module Chairs

  • Cyber Security Module
    Bart Huffman, Locke Lord LLP, Austin, Texas
  • Environmental Module
    Tracie Renfroe, King & Spalding, Houston, Texas
  • International Module
    Elisabeth Eljuri, Sierra Oil & Gas, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Regulatory/Compliance Module
    Kenneth R. Vogel, FTI Consulting, Inc., Houston, Texas
  • US Litigation & Dispute Resolution Module
    Kimberly Robinson Phillips, Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas
  • US Transactional Module
    Omar Samji, 

    Jones Day, 

    Houston, Texas

Tuition

Advisory Board members should register using the special link sent to them by email.

Registration includes the Conference, the John Rogers Award Reception and Dinner, meals and the course material provided online, which may be printed or saved by customer.  Printed course material may be obtained for an additional $150 fee.

Regular Registration Fee

  • $795 - Non-Member registration fee
  • $575 - IEL Supporting or Sustaining Member Employee
  • $575 - IEL Young Energy Professional Member
  • $575 - CAIL Member or Member Employee
  • $575 - Government Employee
  • $150 - Law Student / Full-time Professors
  • $225 - Materials Only (Not attending)
  • $150 - Printed Binder (In addition to registration fee)

Schedule and Faculty

Thursday, February 18

8:45 am


Welcome and Overview

  • Conference Co-Chairs

9:00 am


The Problem with Washington - Crude Oil Exports as a Case Study

  • Kevin J. Avery, Manager, Federal Government Affairs, ConocoPhillips Company, Washington, D.C.

10:00 am


Recent Developments in Oil and Gas Law

This session will be a review of important cases and other developments in oil and gas law over the last year.

  • Professor Christopher S. Kulander, Director and Instructor, Oil & Gas Law Institute, South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas

11:00 am


Break

11:20 am


Rules versus Principles: A Discussion with Andrew Fastow (Ethics)

Mr. Fastow will give an honest look at how he and others propelled Enron to over $100 billion in revenue, which simultaneously orchestrated the decimation of over 1000 jobs and $40 billion in market value. Mr. Fastow will offer his view on ethical decision making in an increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment that amplifies ethical conflict while selectively undermining principles-based decision making.

  • Andrew S. Fastow, Former CFO of Enron, Houston, Texas

12:20 pm


Networking Luncheon

Thursday Afternoon Concurrent Sessions

US Litigation & Dispute Resolution Module

  • Kimberly Robinson Phillips, Assistant General Counsel, Global Litigation – Americas, Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas

1:30 pm


What’s Shaking: Seismic Activity and Unconventional Oil and Gas Activity

There have been a number of recent studies and articles linking unconventional oil and gas activity to man-made, or induced, seismic events. This session will explore the current state of the research and the latest lawsuits on the subject. This session will also explore a number of pending or recently passed regulatory responses to the topic.

  • Barclay Nicholson, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, Houston, Texas

2:15 pm


Comparative Analysis of State Preemption and Home Rule Jurisprudence Affecting U.S. Shale Plays

This topic will include a comparison of legislation, court decisions and anti-fracking efforts in various regions addressing the ability of local governments to regulate or prohibit shale development. A discussion of trends and emerging issues will be included.

Moderator

  • Timothy B. McGranor, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease, LLP, Columbus, Ohio

Panelists

  • Mark J. Mathews, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Denver, Colorado
  • Bill Kroger, Baker Botts LLP, Houston, Texas

3:00 pm


Break

3:15 pm


Enhancing Deal Process: Critical Steps for Corporate and MLP Boards and Committees to Minimize Litigation Risk

The formation of Master Limited Partnerships is on the rise, bringing with them complex litigation issues concerning conflicts, drop downs, and other commercial issues. The panel will share insights to avoid common pitfalls and share lessons learned from recent MLP court decisions and experiences.

Moderator

  • Michael Holmes, Vinson & Elkins, LLP, Dallas, Texas

Panelists

  • Lori Muratta, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Shell Midstream Partners, Houston, Texas
  • Srinivas M. Raju, Richards, Layton & Finger, PA, Wilmington, Delaware

4:00 pm


Litigation Challenges in the Oil and Gas Industry: What Keeps Us Up at Night?

Oil and Gas heads of litigation and compliance will share their insights on public and private civil litigation and white-collar litigation threats that are keeping them up at night. They will explore these issues from various business perspectives: upstream, downstream, midstream and oil field services, and share tips to minimize and avoid these threats.

Moderator

  • David Woodcock, Jones Day, Dallas, Texas

Panelists

  • Laura Robertson, Deputy General Counsel, Litigation and Arbitration, ConocoPhillips Company, Houston, Texas
  • Patrick K. Craine, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Josh M. McMorrow, General Counsel – North America and Global Litigation, Weatherford International, Houston, Texas

4:45 pm


Adjourn

US Transactional Module

  • Omar Samji, Module Chair, Jones Day, Houston, Texas

1:30 pm


Recent Trends in Contractual Risk Allocation (Post-Macondo)

A discussion of recent trends in contractual risk allocation in the energy industry focusing on insurance and indemnity issues, particularly in the post-Macondo business environment.

  • Michael A. Golemi, Liskow & Lewis, Houston, Texas
  • William W. Pugh, Liskow & Lewis, Houston, Texas

2:15 pm


Avoiding De Facto Energy Partnerships Under Texas Law: An Overview of the ETP $535M Dollar Verdict

An overview of the agreements and arrangements between Energy Transfer Partners and Enterprise Products, lessons learned and model contract language and conduct to avoid a finding of de facto partnership, and unresolved issues which may be answered on appeal.

  • Ileana M. Blanco, DLA Piper, Houston, Texas
  • W. Christopher Schaeper, DLA Piper, Houston, Texas

3:00 pm


Break

3:15 pm


A&D Strategies in Low Commodity Price Conditions: In-Court and Out-of-Court Options

A discussion of developing and implementing acquisition and divestiture (A&D) strategies to navigate volatile market dynamics and commodity price declines.

  • Stephen T. Olson, Jones Day, Houston, Texas
  • Tom A. Howley, Jones Day, Houston, Texas

4:00 pm


Counterparty Bankruptcy Risk in a Low Price Commodity Environment

Examination of practical concerns, recent legal developments, and preparatory steps that energy and commodity companies can take if a counterparty has weakening credit or files for bankruptcy.

  • Andrea Pincus, Reed Smith LLP, New York, New York
  • Paul B. Turner, Reed Smith LLP, Houston, Texas

4:45 pm


Adjourn

John Rogers Award Reception and Dinner

6:00 pm


Reception

7:00 pm


John Rogers Award Dinner honoring

Mark G. Papa
Riverstone Holdings LLC, Former Chairman and CEO of EOG Resources, Inc.
Houston, Texas

Friday Morning Concurrent Sessions

Friday, February 19

Cyber Security Module

  • Bart Huffman, Module Chair, Locke Lord LLP, Austin, Texas

9:00 am


Cybersecurity for the Oil & Gas Industry

Three speakers with significant legal and technical experience share their perspectives on cybersecurity for the oil & gas industry, including the role of the oil & gas sector as critical infrastructure, an overview of the threat environment, and how companies are thinking about governance to address, manage, and mitigate pervasive cyber risks. The speakers will discuss emerging standards and guidelines for information security and cyber threat information sharing, and they will also share best practices and insight on security incident preparedness and response.

  • Jason C. Chipman, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Washington, D.C.
  • Randy V. Sabett, JD, CISSP, Cooley LLP, Washington, D.C.
  • Robert Wallace, Director, Security and Investigations, Mandiant®, A FireEye® Company, Dallas, Texas

10:00 am


“Reasonable and Appropriate” Security in the Information Age

The speakers will interact as a panel with the audience concerning “reasonable and appropriate” security measures in an era of extraordinary computing power and data growth. With that in mind, the group will further explore digital risk assessment and effective communication to the Board or executive leadership.

Moderator

  • Bart Huffman, Locke Lord LLP, Austin, Texas

Panelists

  • Jason C. Chipman, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Washington, D.C.
  • Randy V. Sabett, JD, CISSP, Cooley LLP, Washington, D.C.
  • Robert Wallace, Director, Security and Investigations, Mandiant®, A FireEye® Company, Dallas, Texas

10:30 am


Break

International Module

  • Elisabeth Eljuri, Module Chair, Vice President, Chief Negotiator and Chief Legal Counsel, Sierra Oil & Gas, Mexico City, Mexico

10:45 am


Mexico's Energy Reform: A Review of the First Bid Rounds and the Road Ahead

The implementation of Mexico´s Energy Reform during 2015 came along with a difficult oil & gas outlook. The first four tenders of the so called “Round One” for the award of Exploration and Extraction Contracts seek to encourage private investments and to increase Mexico’s oil production: nevertheless, many lessons have been learned from these first tenders and there is more to be learned in order to truly maximize the “Five Year Term Program (2015 – 2019) for Exploration and Extraction Tenders”.

Moderator

  • Elisabeth Eljuri, Vice President, Chief Negotiator and Chief Legal Counsel, Sierra Oil & Gas, Mexico City, Mexico

Panelists

  • Juan Carlos Serra, Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C., Mexico City, Mexico
  • David Bertoch, Counsel, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Houston, Texas

11:30 am


Resource Nationalism and Political Risk Management: A Quest for Stability

Whether it is the case of a new-country entry or existing investments that are sunk in a particular jurisdiction, investors in the energy business need to understand how to navigate around political risk and the key considerations that arise when faced with specific government actions. The panel will discuss political risk in these projects and steps to mitigate same, including some of the more significant arbitral decisions in respect of expropriations of oil and gas projects.

Moderator

  • Elisabeth Eljuri, Vice President, Chief Negotiator and Chief Legal Counsel, Sierra Oil & Gas, Mexico City, Mexico

Panelists

  • Nigel Blackaby, Co-Head International Arbitration, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP, Washington, D.C.
  • John P. Bowman, King & Spalding, Houston, Texas

12:15 pm


Deans of Oil and Gas Practice Lecture and Luncheon

Environmental Module

  • Tracie J. Renfroe, Module Chair, King & Spalding, Houston, Texas

9:00 am


Hot Topics in Legacy Oilfield Litigation

This panel will provide an update on the growing domestic and international claims asserting environmental impacts from historic oil & gas operations, including a discussion of the intersection of express and implied contract provisions with current regulatory standards.

Moderator

  • Tracie J. Renfroe, King & Spalding, Houston, Texas

Panelists

  • Andrew M. Stakelum, King & Spalding, Houston, Texas
  • Carol M. Wood, King & Spalding, Houston, Texas

9:45 am


Update on Technical Issues in Legacy Litigation & Shale Gas Production

  • Produced water impacts from historical operations
  • Saltwater injection: NGO suits to enjoin California’s issuance of saltwater injection permits
  • California SB 4 implications: notification, disclosure, monitoring
  • Seismology: implications of recent studies
  • Methane: impacts on groundwater
  • Air emissions: volatiles & particulates
  • Waters of the U.S.

Moderator

  • Tracie J. Renfroe, King & Spalding, Houston, Texas

Panelists

  • John Connor, President, GSI Environmental, Houston, Texas
  • Murray Einarson, Haley & Aldrich, Inc., Oakland, California

10:30 am


Break

Regulatory/Compliance Module

  • Kenneth R. Vogel, Module Chair, Houston Energy Group, FTI Consulting, Inc., Houston, Texas

10:45 am


New Environmental Regulations Impacting Energy Development

The Obama administration has proposed major changes in land use, air and water regulations, as well as regulations that impact the consumption and emissions of fossil fuels that are likely to have important effects on the production and use of energy resources. The panel will examine the practical and public policy impacts of some of those new regulatory proposals or new rules.

Moderator

  • Kenneth R. Vogel, Houston Energy Group, FTI Consulting, Inc., Houston, Texas

Panelists

  • Erik Milito, American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C.
  • Adam Kron, Environmental Integrity Project, Washington, D.C.

11:30 am


How Revenues Should be Collected for the Use of Federal Lands for Energy Development

In the past year, new proposals have been floated concerning both the valuation and the basic financial terms of federal leases. The panel will examine the practical and public policy impacts of some of those new regulatory proposals or new rules.

Moderator

  • Kenneth R. Vogel, Houston Energy Group, FTI Consulting, Inc., Houston, Texas

Panelists

  • Mark S. Barron, Baker & Hostetler LLP, Denver, Colorado
  • Jayni Foley Hein, Policy Director, Institute for Policy Integrity, New York University School of Law, New York, New York

12:15 pm


Deans of Oil and Gas Practice Lecture and Luncheon

IEL Forum

9:00 am

Moderators

  • Erica Powers, University at Albany, Albany, New York
  • Annemarie Torrez, Supervising Counsel, Chevron, Moon Township, Pennsylvania

An unscripted opportunity to discuss current issues in energy practice.

10:30 am


Break

12:15 pm


Deans of Oil and Gas Practice Lecture and Luncheon

Prof. Owen L. Anderson
KBH Center for Energy Law & Business
The University of Texas School of Law

Kuntz Chair and Ross Professor Emeritus
University of Oklahoma College of Law

1:45 pm


Lawyer Ethics in Pop Culture

As lawyers, we often forget that our standards of professionalism and ethics differ greatly from the way that non-law-trained people think that lawyers behave. From Perry Mason (good lawyers never lose) to The Good Wife, what makes for good drama is often "bad ethics." This session will cover what clients think lawyers should be doing and what the ethics rules tell us that we should be doing.

  • Nancy B. Rapoport, Acting Executive Vice President & Provost, Garman Turner Gordon Professor of Law, William S. Boyd School of Law, Affiliate Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Lee Business School, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

2:45 pm


A Fireside Chat: Perspectives on the Legal Department's Role in Meeting the Current Challenges to the Energy Industry

Moderators

  • Michael P. Lennon, Jr., Mayer Brown LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Laura M. Robertson, Deputy General Counsel, Litigation and Arbitration, ConocoPhillips Company, Houston, Texas

Panelists

  • Janet Langford Carrig, Senior Vice President Legal, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, ConocoPhillips Company, Houston, Texas
  • Alan R. Crain, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal and Governance Officer, Baker Hughes Incorporated, Houston, Texas
  • Elizabeth Matthews, Vice President & General Counsel, Total Petrochemicals & Refining USA, Houston, Texas
  • Kevin McDonald, Deputy General Counsel, Governance, Compliance & Corporate Services, Marathon Oil Corporation, Houston, Texas

3:45 pm


Adjourn

CLE Credit

MCLE Credit

This program is approved by the State Bar of Texas for a total of 11 hours, including 2 hour of ethics. Course ID Number: 901338192. Credit hours for other states will vary and are subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules.

For this conference, IEL will directly apply (if requested) for course accreditation in the following states: California, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. Some of these states may not approve a program for credit hours before the program occurs. Attorneys may be eligible to receive CLE credit through reciprocity or attorney self-submission in other states. IEL conferences are typically accredited by all mandatory CLE states.

Hotel Information

The cost of housing is not included in tuition. However, rooms (in limited number) have been reserved at the JW Marriott Hotel, 5150 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77056. Registrants should call 1.800.228.9290 and advise them they are attending the "IEL – Annual Oil & Gas Law Conference" to receive a reduced room rate of $199 ++ per night. The last day to obtain this special rate is January 29, 2016.

BOOK HOTEL ONLINE

Sponsorship Opportunities

John Rogers Award Reception and Dinner - $6,000 each - SOLD OUT
The Petroleum Club of Houston
February 19, 2016

Honoring Mark G. Papa, Partner at Riverstone Holdings LLC and former CEO and Chairman of EOG Resources Inc., from 9/1998 to 7/2013

  • Recognition in the Conference brochure, which will be mailed to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and Internet announcements.
  • Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program.
  • Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website.
  • Recognition at the reception and dinner.
  • 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference.
  • Up to 8 guests at the reception and dinner.
  • One reserved table at the dinner, if desired.
  • An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the Conference.

Advisory Board Dinner Headline Sponsorship - $5,000 each - SOLD OUT
(Only 1 Allowed)

  • Recognition in the Conference brochure, which will be mailed and/or emailed to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through web announcements.
  • Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program.
  • Recognition at the reception & dinner.
  • 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference.
  • Up to 3 guests at the dinner.
  • An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.

Wi-Fi Sponsor - $3,000 each - SOLD OUT
(Only 1 Allowed)

  • Name/Logo reflected in wifi access code
  • Prominent recognition on the Conference Background Slide
  • Recognition in the Conference brochure, which will be mailed and/or emailed to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through web announcements.
  • Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program.
  • 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference.
  • An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.

Canvas Bag - $3,000 each - SOLD OUT
(Only 3 Allowed)

  • Name/Logo on one side of canvas bag
  • Recognition in the Conference brochure, which will be mailed and/or emailed to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through web announcements.
  • Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program.
  • 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference.
  • An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.

Networking Luncheon - $3,000 each
February 19, 2016

  • Recognition in the Conference brochure, which will be mailed to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and Internet announcements.
  • Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program.
  • Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website.
  • Recognition at the luncheon.
  • I complimentary registrant at the Conference.
  • Up to 2 guests for the luncheon.
  • An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the Conference.

Deans of Oil and Gas Practice Lecture Luncheon -$3,000 each
February 20, 2016

Lecture presented by Owen L. Anderson, Academic Director, John B. Turner LL.M. Program Energy, Natural Resource & Indigenous Peoples, Eugene Kuntz Chair in Oil, Gas & Natural Resources, George Lynn Cross Research Professor, The University of Oklahoma College of Law

  • Recognition in the Conference brochure, which will be mailed to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders and will reach many thousands more through email and Internet announcements.
  • Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference brochure and final program.
  • Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website.
  • Recognition at the luncheon.
  • I complimentary registrant at the Conference.
  • Up to 2 guests for the luncheon.
  • (Space permitting), a seat at the luncheon head table.
  • An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the Conference.

Exhibitor - $1,500 each
February 19-20, 2016

  • Space to display company/firm materials at the conference.
  • Name/logo on Conference website with link to company page.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Licia Maria (Lilly) Hogarth, Project Manager, Institute for Energy Law, at 972.244.3424.

Other Information

Press Policy

All IEL conferences are held under the Chatham House Rule. Participants, including journalists, are free to use any information received, but comments may not be attributed to any speaker identifi ed by name or affiliation.

Nondiscriminatory Policy

The Center for American and International Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status in educational activities, scholarship programs or admissions.

Privacy Policy

We do not sell or rent information to any outside parties. By providing your information, you will receive postal and electronic communications from the Institute for Energy Law (IEL) of The Center for American and International Law (CAIL) in accordance with CAIL's Privacy Policy. If we co-sponsor a program with another organization, information may be shared between the parties. All such co-sponsors will be identified on the event details and registration page. At any point, you can opt-out or unsubscribe by selecting either link at the bottom of each email or call us at 972.244.3400.

Sponsor an Event

John Rogers Award Reception and Dinner Sponsors

Deans of Oil & Gas Practice Lecture Luncheon Sponsors

Networking Luncheon Sponsors

Advisory Board Dinner Sponsor

Conference Binder Sponsor

Canvas Bag Sponsors

WiFi Sponsor

Exhibitors