Practice Areas & Industries: Andrews Kurth LLP

Practice Group Overview

Andrews Kurth has occupied a preeminent position in energy law matters for several decades and has developed a track record in this area that few competitors can match. The Firm's energy lawyers have distinct experience in federal and state regulation of the natural gas, oil and electric industries.

The Firm's practice has involved numerous proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as well as matters before the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior (including the Minerals Management Service), the Commerce Department, Department of the Treasury and a variety of state public utility commissions.

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The Firm's attorneys are highly regarded concerning all aspects of the Natural Gas Act, the Natural Gas Policy Act, the Federal Power Act, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Export Administration Act, and certain aspects of the Interstate Commerce Act and the Public Utility Holding Companies Act.

The energy section has represented natural gas pipelines, oil pipelines, gathering companies, oil and gas producers, natural gas and electricity end users, energy marketing companies, power project developers, cogenerators, NGL processors and other related businesses in both regulatory and transactional matters.

The energy section's representation of natural gas clients has involved the full range of agency proceedings, both adjudicatory and rulemaking, and includes appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Matters handled include, but are not limited to, rate making proceedings, the planning and prosecution of proposals for the construction of new pipelines, enforcement actions and pipeline "restructuring" proceedings, market power assesments, LNG projects and the whole gamut of tariff proceedings dealing with pipeline transportation issues, including new and innovative pipeline services, incentive rates, GISB issues and other matters.

Energy section attorneys represent clients before state public utility commissions on both electric and the natural gas matters. In particular, the Firm has developed a significant practice assisting end user clients in state agency proceedings involving rate and service matters, including stranded cost issues and the unbundling of services provided by local electric utilities. Energy section attorneys also been at the forefront of innovative and practical resolutions of regulatory issues involving independent power producers and power marketers before the FERC and state agencies.

Attorneys in the energy section have provided regulatory advice and guidance in connection with acquisitions, financing and restructuring arrangements. In addition, energy section attorneys have represented a variety of crude oil and petroleum product pipeline companies, producers and refiners in various oil-related rulemaking and adjudicatory proceedings and related appeals.