Energy - Oil & Gas

Management representation in connection with the sale of an integrated manufacturer of oil field equipment, compressors and other engine driven equipment and distributor of diesel engines and spare parts to a strategic purchaser.

Acquisition of outstanding minority interests in a proprietary pipe coating joint venture by the principal owner, including negotiation of access rights over adjacent real property and licensing agreements for proprietary technology.

Represented start-up technology company providing new technology for the oil and gas industry in licensing and services contracts with major drilling and services companies in that industry.

Wind up and exit of Norwegian public company from the business of operating offshore seismic vessels, including advice regarding settlement of multiple employment contracts.

Won a multi-million dollar arbitration award on behalf of the owners of a software company against an oilfield services company who purchased their company. The claims and recovery related to misrepresentations made during negotiations and execution of a stock purchase agreement. After 15 days of evidence, the three-member panel ruled unanimously in favor of our client.

Won a jury verdict for an independent oil and gas exploration company for damages to one of its production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. After a week-long trial, the jury awarded damages that were caused by another oil company’s crew boat running into the platform.

Won a summary judgment on behalf of an oil-field services company who was sued for allegedly misappropriating trade secrets from a competitor. When the client hired away the opposing side’s salesman it sued. Summary judgment was awarded when it was shown that the opposing side did not have a valid trade secret as a matter of law.

Won a summary judgment on behalf of an independent geologist in a case brought by a working interest owner concerning acquisition and development of oil and gas leases. Claims included breach of contract, tortious interference with contractual relations and conspiracy. Plaintiff failed to consent to additional acreage under the Joint Operating Agreement and sued fellow working interest owners for almost $10 million in damages.

Represented Managed Pressure Operations, a developer of next generation technology for offshore managed pressure drilling systems for the oil and gas industry with subsidiaries in Houston, Singapore, Jakarta and Dubai, in the reorganization of its capital structure, including a $15 million capital infusion by a private equity group and its later acquisition by an affiliate of Aker Solutions.

Represented an oil field equipment company in connection with private equity investments and financing transactions.

Represented a Houston-based entrepreneur in connection with the strategic restructure of personal investments in 60+ entities involving land development, retail, private equity, specialty finance, oil and gas, industrial and build-to-suit.

Member of the trial team representing employees of Wellbore Energy Solutions, LLC, a subsidiary of Halliburton Company, against M-I L.L.C., a subsidiary of Schlumberger Limited, in a trade secret, covenant not to compete and tortious interference dispute in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (M-I L.L.C. v. Chad Lee Stelly, et al., C.A. 4:09-CV-01552) involving completion tools for oil and gas wells.

Representing supplier of oilfield steel for use in the oil and gas industry in a lawsuit brought by a competitor alleging a former employee provided our client (his new employer) with confidential customer lists, vendor contact information and sales data owned by his former employer. Successfully obtained transfer of lawsuit from United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to the Southern District of Texas based on argument that Texas was a more convenient forum as the location of material events, the residence of defendants and most potential non-party witnesses, as well as the relative interests of justice.

Successfully negotiated resolution of complex, multi-million dollar dispute involving production of steel rig kits for use in offshore jack-up drilling rig application between an overseas steel mill, Houston-based steel fabricator, and offshore drilling systems provider in Mississippi.

Represented manufacturer of oilfield machinery in lawsuit against major software company, where the manufacturer asserted claims for breach of contract and fraud. The dispute arose out of an unsuccessful SAP implementation and the software company’s breach of the parties’ Statement of Work. Lauren’s involvement began with pleadings and discovery, implicated intensive preparation with both fact and expert witnesses for depositions and trial testimony, continued through an aggressive dispositive motions phase, and culminated in a three-week jury trial. Achieved $29.8 million jury verdict as chair in that trial.

When a crude oil production company was threatened with an increased rate in violation of its transportation agreement with a pipeline company, Lauren intervened on its behalf. The pressure she put on the pipeline company, efforts which included seeking injunctive relief restraining the rate hike, triggered a favorable resolution of the dispute. The dispute implicated both Texas contract law and FERC energy regulations.

Advised oil and gas producer client in connection with dispute about joint operating agreement, resulting in successful appeal before the Texas Fourteenth Court of Appeals. Critical to the success of the case was a well-reasoned interpretation of the AMI (“Area of Mutual Interest”) provision of the parties’ Joint Operating Agreement.

Represented oil and gas clients in connection with various actions to quiet title and/or address notices of lis pendens, including suits against groups of mineral royalty owners.

On behalf of oilfield services client, drafted compelling motions for summary judgment in two catastrophic personal injury cases, putting pressure on the opposite side and resulting in a highly favorable settlement with plaintiffs.

Represented supplier of oilfield steel for use in the oil and gas industry in a lawsuit brought by a competitor alleging a former employee provided our client (his new employer) with confidential customer lists, vendor contact information and sales data owned by his former employer. Successfully obtained transfer of lawsuit from United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to the Southern District of Texas based on argument that Texas was a more convenient forum as the location of material events, the residence of defendants and most potential non-party witnesses, as well as the relative interests of justice.

Defended clients operating a start-up oil field services company in a lawsuit brought by an established competitor alleging claims against our clients for misappropriation of trade secrets, breach fiduciary duty, and conspiracy and seeking to completely shut down our clients’ business. After a six day temporary injunction trial, the lawsuit settled on terms that allowed our clients to continue their business in competition with former employer.

Successfully obtained Temporary Injunction and Permanent Injunction on behalf of client against former employee. The client was a refinery maintenance contractor who brought suit alleging the former employee breached non-compete and non-solicitation covenants, and the former employee asserted counterclaims for damages arising out of termination of employment. After securing a Temporary Injunction that prohibited the former employee from competing and soliciting clients, the matter ultimately settled with entry of Permanent Injunction and no payment to employee for alleged damages.

Represented a world leader in premium insulation coatings against a former distributor based on claims for breach of a written distributor agreement, as well as claims for breach of oral agreements or, alternatively, quasi-contractual claims such as promissory estoppel and unjust enrichment. Following written discovery and depositions of the named parties, certain third-parties, and experts, both parties moved for summary judgment – we moved on all of plaintiff’s claims and plaintiff moved solely on liability for its contractual claims. With the summary judgment motions pending, the matter settled on confidential terms.

Represented refinery services company that sells proprietary products and services to petroleum and chemical refineries globally in a lawsuit against a group of contractors that misappropriated our client’s proprietary products and services. After successfully securing discovery from refineries in foreign countries confirming the facts supporting our client’s claims, the matter settled with our client receiving every dollar of lost sales and effectively ending the former contractors’ attempts to establish a competing company.

Represented a manufacturer of frac and mud pumps utilized in the oilfield in breach of contract and fraudulent inducement action against company providing engineering and design support of equipment. Obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of client.

Represented a Houston-based provider of deep- and shallow -water connector solutions to the subsea pipeline industry in its $42.5 million sale of to a subsidiary of a NYSE-listed oilfield services company.

Represented a Woodlands-based oilfield services company in negotiation of its $80 million syndicated credit facility with Comerica Bank.

Represented a West-Texas oilfield services provider operating throughout the Permian Basin in a $34 million majority recapitalization by a Houston-based private equity fund.

Represented a Houston-based supplier of industrial gas cylinders and welder’s supply materials in its sale to a NYSE-listed, global Fortune 300 company.

Represented a Woodlands-based company in the acquisition of an oilfield services company based in the South Texas Eagle Ford Shale Formation.

Represented the shareholders of a Houston-based international supply company to the oil and gas industry in connection with the sale of their shares to a New York-based private equity group for approximately $28 million, including equity interests in the acquiring company.

Represented an Odessa, Texas-based specialty tubular threading company in connection with its sale to NS Group, Inc. for $125 million.

Represented the shareholders of a Houston-based oilfield services company in a sale to a private equity firm for $30 million plus shares of stock in the acquiring company.

Represented a Texas-based oilfield services company in connection with investments in manufacturing facilities in Taiwan and America Samoa.

Represented a U.S.-based oilfield services company in connection with operations in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Mexico and South America.

Successfully defended a major oil and gas company against claims of tortious interference with prospective contractual relations in a case concerning a potential merger transaction. Plaintiff sought damages of approximately $65 million plus exemplary damages. However, after a week of trial plaintiffs settled for less than 5% of that amount with the client not responsible for paying any of the settlement amount.

Settled a fraud and RICO dispute on behalf of a small gas marketing company in a case brought by the majority owner of a gas trading company. Plaintiff originally sought in excess of $70 million in damages, alleging fraudulent gas trading and financial derivative transactions, but settled on very favorable terms for client prior to trial.

Represented a major oil and gas company in a breach of joint venture claim. The joint venture related to a fractionation facility and the joint venture partner’s failure to properly allocate funds. Two days after the opposing side answered the lawsuit filed on behalf of the client a settlement was reached which gave the client 100% of the relief requested in the petition.

Represented C&J Cladding LLC, a Houston-based leader in providing technical welding solutions and post weld heat treatment services to global oilfield equipment manufacturers, in connection with the sale of its business and assets to Ellwood Group Inc., a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer and supplier of high-quality, engineered, heavy metal products.

Represented an offshore drilling equipment manufacturer and supplier based in Jakarta, Singapore and Houston in the reorganization of its capital structure, including a $15 million capital infusion by a private equity group.

Represented Blackhawk Specialty Tools, LLC, an oilfield services company headquartered in Houma, Louisiana, in connection with a private equity investment made by Rock Hill Capital Group.

Acted as U.S. counsel for a UK-based client in connection with the acquisition of an international company supplying rental equipment to the oilfield.

Represented a UK-based client in their acquisition of an oil and gas service company in California.

Experience representing various oilfield services companies in the negotiation and drafting of Master Services Agreements.