8th Law of Shale Plays Conference

Overview

Presented by the Institute for Energy Law and the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation (EMLF).

The Law of Shale Plays Conference continues to bring together clients and legal professionals servicing all components of the energy industry for outstanding continuing legal education focused on issues affecting shale plays.

The conference will provide timely legal updates on important litigation, transactional and regulatory issues being experienced and addressed by energy attorneys.

Download the Brochure (pdf)

For more details, download the online brochure.

Conference Co-Chairs

Tuition

• $640 - Regular Registration Fee
• $525 - IEL Advisory Board Member
• $525 - IEL Supporting or Sustaining Member Employee
• $525 - IEL Young Energy Professional Member
• $525 - CAIL Member or Member Employee
• $525 - EMLF Member
• $525 - Government Employee
• $125.00 - Law Student
• $125.00 - Materials Only (not attending)

Schedule and Faculty

Download Faculty Bios

Wednesday, September 6

7:30am

Registration

8:30 am

Welcome, Overview and Introductions

Conference Co-Chairs

• Bridget D. Furbee, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, Bridgeport, West Virginia
• Jennifer L. McDonough, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Rex Energy Corporation, State College, Pennsylvania

8:45 am

Going Global – A North American Gas Update

• Dragos Neacsu, BP North America Gas & Power, Houston, Texas

9:30 am

Let’s Get to Work! (Without Making the Same Hiring Mistakes)

As we begin to see an uptick in business, it’s time to think about adding workers. Hiring and onboarding correctly is less expensive than the alternative. This session reviews common problems, legal and practical, in the hiring and onboarding process, with compliance tips for adding workers when ready without adding unnecessary headaches and costs.

• James F. Glunt, Reed Smith LLP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

10:15 am

Break

10:35 am

Emerging Capital Sources and Opportunities in the Oil & Gas Space

With the oil and gas industry slowly recovering from recent sharp declines in commodity prices, many traditional sources of capital have backed away from providing additional funding. This economic trend has led to the rise of alternative and differentiated approaches to providing the capital necessary for the development of oil and gas assets, as well as the liquidity needs of the midstream, downstream and oilfield service sectors that are associated with upstream development. Companies across the spectrum of the oil and gas life cycle need to understand the new opportunities available to them to finance their operations.

Moderator:

• Ryan T. Purpura, McGuireWoods LLP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Panelists:

• Mark Friedland, Managing Director, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Orion Energy Partners, New York, New York
• I. Bobby Majumder, Perkins Coie LLP, Dallas, Texas
• Petter Stensland, CIO, Energy Opportunities, AllianceBernstein, New York, New York

11:35 am

What Infrastructure Does the Gas Industry Need? What Infrastructure Will the Opposition Allow?

A primer on natural gas gathering, processing, fractionation, NGLs and transportation, as well as tactics and strategies being used to oppose infrastructure projects.

• Marc Halbritter, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Blue Racer Midstream, Dallas, Texas
• Curtis Stambaugh, Assistant General Counsel for Projects, Energy Transfer Partners, L.P., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

12:20 pm

Lunch

12:50 pm

The Appalachian Storage Hub: Why It’s Important to You

• Steven B. Hedrick, President and CEO, Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research & Innovation Center (MATRIC), South Charleston, West Virginia

1:30 pm

Break

1:45 pm

Oil & Gas Hedging – An Introduction to the How, the Why and the Legal Aspects

This session will be an interactive discussion of the “how”, the “why” and the legal aspects of oil and gas hedging. Producers often use hedging as a risk management tool to protect against price movements of oil and gas, but it is a market that is commonly misunderstood. Join us for a discussion of the basics with legal and business experts who work in this area on a daily basis who will help to demystify the hedging process.

• Ryan Kelly, Senior Portfolio Manager, Asset Risk Management, LLC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Travis J. Wahl, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, Columbus, Ohio
• Nancy Nicole “Nici” Workman, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, Columbus, Ohio

2:15 pm

Security and Cybersecurity Issues in the Shale Plays: How Will You Respond?

This presentation will explore Security and Cybersecurity Issues in the Shale Plays and the need for robust planning to prevent, thwart, and respond to threats and incidents. Attendees will consider recent analyses of industry threats and corporate compliance efforts, then review steps needed to maximize efforts, in order to assess their company’s level of preparedness.

• Shawn A. Morgan, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, Bridgeport, West Virginia

3:15 pm

Break

3:30 pm

Litigation Update – Hot Topics and Future Disputes

The oil and gas industry’s rapid growth over the past decade has required courts across the United States to consistently address novel legal issues impacting oil and gas development. This panel of seasoned trial attorneys will present and discuss important judicial developments in oil and gas law from multiple jurisdictions, including current litigation trends.

Moderator:

• Cole T. DeLancey, Counsel – North Region, Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Panelists:

• David K. Hendrickson, Hendrickson & Long, PLLC, Charleston, West Virginia
• Kara S. Eaton, Frost Brown Todd LLC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Stephan D. Selinidis, Reed Smith LLP, Houston, Texas
• Matt W. Warnock, Bricker & Eckler LLP, Columbus, Ohio

5:00 pm

Networking Reception

Thursday, September 7

8:25 am

Introduction

• Conference Co-Chairs

8:30 am

Insights and Advice from General Counsel

This panel of senior industry lawyers will address the concerns of general counsel in operating and developing shale plays given the current price and industry challenges.

Moderator:

• Jennifer L. McDonough, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Rex Energy Corporation, State College, Pennsylvania

Panelists:

• Randall M. Ebner, Vice President and General Counsel, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Irving, Texas
• Lisa McManus, Vice President, Legal & General Counsel, Pennsylvania General Energy Company, LLC, Warren, Pennsylvania
• David P. Poole, Sr. Vice President - General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Range Resources Corporation, Fort Worth, Texas

9:45 am

Update on Royalty Litigation

Class action and individual royalty litigation continues to be filed throughout the country, including the Appalachian Basin. The speaker will provide an overview of the applicable standards regarding royalty calculations, with an emphasis on an update and review of recent cases of interest in the Appalachian Basin.

• Timothy M. Miller, Babst Calland, Charleston, West Virginia

10:15 am

Break

10:30 am

Regime Change and Rollback – Federal Environmental Regulatory Update

The arrival of the Trump Administration is having ground-shifting effects on the federal regulatory regime. With some aiming to ensure the “deconstruction of the administrative state,” the regulated community is looking to seize opportunities for reform, but uncertainty abounds. This presentation will provide an overview and update on potential and realized changes to federal environmental regulations in the Trump Administration, focusing on those of greatest interest to the upstream and midstream natural gas sectors.

• Avi Garbow, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Washington, DC
• Kirsten Nathanson, Crowell & Moring LLP, Washington, DC

11:15 am

From Complaint to Closing, Ethical Issues from the Ely v. Cabot Case

Ethical considerations arise throughout all aspects of a litigation, from the filing of a complaint to closing arguments. During this session, we will address some of the myriad ethical issues that arose during the highly-publicized litigation involving residents in Dimock, Pennsylvania against Cabot Oil & Gas, which has been ongoing since November 2009, and how those issues were addressed by the Court or impacted the litigation.

• Amy L. Barrette, Blank Rome LLP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Jeremy A. Mercer, Blank Rome LLP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

12:15 pm

Adjourn

CLE Credit

IEL as registrar for the conference will directly apply for course accreditation in the following states: IL, IN, KY, MO, NM, OH, OK, PA, TN, TX, VA and WV. 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.

This program consists of approximately 9 hours of continuing education, including up to 1 hour of ethics. Approved credit hours will vary by jurisdiction and are subject to each jurisdiction’s approval and credit rounding rules.

The program is approved by the State Bar of Texas for 9 hours, including 1 hour of ethics. Course ID Number: 928008028.

Hotel Information

The cost of housing is not included in tuition. However, rooms (in limited number) have been reserved at the Omni William Penn Hotel, 530 William Penn Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Registrants should call 1.800.THE OMNI (843-6664) and advise that they are attending the “IEL - Shale Plays Law Conference” to receive a reduced rate of $159 + tax/night. The last day to obtain this special rate is August 7, 2017.

BOOK HOTEL ONLINE

Sponsorship Opportunities

Hosted Luncheon - $3,000 each

• 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 on the Conference website.
• Recognition at the Luncheon.
• 3 complimentary registrants at the Conference.
• An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.

Breakfasts – Sep 7 & 8 (Exclusive) - $3,000 - SOLD OUT

• 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 on the Conference website • Recognition at the Breakfast.
• 3 complimentary registrants at the Conference.
• An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.

Wi-Fi Sponsor (Exclusive) - $3,000 - SOLD OUT

• 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.
• 3 complimentary registrants at the Conference.
• An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.

Canvas Bag - $3,000 each

• 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 on the Conference website • Recognition at the Luncheon.
• 2 complimentary registrant at the Conference • An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.

Networking Reception - $2,000 each

• 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 on the Conference website • Recognition at the Reception.
• 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference • 2 complimentary guests at Reception.
• An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the event or at the conference.

Exhibitor (Non-law firms) - $1,500 each

• 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 Hogarth, Project Manager, Institute for Energy Law, at 972.244.3424 or lhogarth@cailaw.org.

Other Information

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