Charles Read
400 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA, 90071
Phone: +1-213-430-7500
Fax: +1-213-430-6407
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Valerie Smith
400 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA, 90071
Phone: +1-213-430-7719
Fax: +1-213-430-6407
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Christine Tam
400 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA, 90071
Phone: +1-213-430-6499
Fax: +1-213-430-6407
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Gregory Thorpe
400 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA, 90071
Phone: +1-213-430-6593
Fax: +1-213-430-6407
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Sharon Tomkins
400 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA, 90071
Phone: +1-213-430-6339
Fax: +1-213-430-6407
LAWYERS
- Related Practices
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AIG
American Capital Strategies
Apollo Management L.P.
Bank of America, N.A
BNP Paribas
Credit Suisse
Edison International
ExxonMobil
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Honeywell
Marubeni
Morgan Stanley
Southern California Edison
Trust Company of the West
Verso Paper
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Energy
With global demand for energy on the rise, the energy industry faces many challenges and opportunities to develop and expand its business interests, from wind farms and biofuels to oil drilling and nuclear plants. As companies forge ahead, pursuing the right legal strategy is critical to minimize risk, maximize gains, and remain competitive. Trusted as an energy advisor for more than a century, O’Melveny counsels industry clients in some of their most challenging cases and innovative transactions. For example, in 2007, we won the key regulatory approval that cleared the way for the completion of a $22 billion leveraged buyout of pipeline operator Kinder Morgan. We also recently negotiated the largest wind energy power purchase contract ever signed in the United States. Our pioneering energy work dates as far back as 1891, when we advised on the construction of one of the earliest hydroelectric plants. To this day, O’Melveny continues to provide energy utilities, developers, operators, and investors with deep sector-specific knowledge and a practical business approach to resolving disputes and closing deals.
Key Facts
- O’Melveny’s energy and appellate lawyers have worked closely to persuade the US Supreme Court to review two key cases affecting the energy sector. One is the review of the legality of the $2.5 billion punitive damages judgment against Exxon related to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The other is the review of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) ability to alter long-term wholesale energy contracts in light of changed economic positions.
- Our lawyers recently completed negotiating a series of contracts for the ongoing purchase of wholesale power for electric utilities, including Southern California Edison Company's groundbreaking wind energy power purchase and development agreement with Alta Windpower Development, LLC for 1,500 MW of power.
- O’Melveny’s far-reaching work was recognized by Asian Legal Business, which honored us with its inaugural "China Deals of the Year Award" in the Energy, Mining, and Resources category for our role as international counsel in the negotiation and execution of $20 billion of long-term sales contracts for liquid natural gas (LNG).
- Energy partner, Charles Read, was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and Who’s Who in American Law: California 2007.
Practice Strengths
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Alternative Energy
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O’Melveny is sought after by wind and renewable energy companies worldwide. Our team advised Edison Mission Energy in one of the largest US wind energy acquisitions, a $160 million project in New Mexico, expected to produce 120 megawatts of renewable power. On the state and federal level, O’Melveny has provided regulatory advice to bidders for control of the world’s largest operating solar power production facility.
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Carbon Emissions
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Prompted by greenhouse gas legislation, many companies are investing in carbon credits and manufacturing low-emissions products. An O’Melveny lawyer presently serves on the planning teams of a large, integrated energy producer as it prepares and executes strategies for responding to state, regional, and federal carbon emissions controls, trading markets, and new technology.
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Electric Energy
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Some of the most important changes in the energy industry are taking place in the electricity sector. In one of the first efforts to acquire generation assets by an investor-owned utility in the post-deregulation environment, O'Melveny served as principal counsel to Southern California Edison Company (SCE) in its acquisition of the Mountainview Power Project from a subsidiary of InterGen. As a result of the transaction, SCE significantly increased its power generation capacity in Southern California, and has stronger protection against price and availability spikes.
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Natural Gas
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Gas projects often require complex chains of physical infrastructure and commercial agreements to deliver gas to markets. Increasingly, the opportunity-rich LNG segment represents a significant part of the natural gas supply around the world. With our experience in creating value for clients in these intricate markets, O’Melveny advised CNOOC in its acquisition of an interest in the Muturi block, one of three blocks of the Indonesian Tangguh LNG project, from British Gas Group for $98.1 million.
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Pipelines
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Our pipeline experience dates back to the early years of the Southern California oil and gas industries. We represented the owners of the mammoth Trans Alaska Pipeline System in defending its cost recovery, and today advise on the environmental, construction, and regulatory issues facing some of the sponsors of the proposed natural gas pipeline serving the same North Slope production fields. We have handled pipeline accident matters, as well as mergers, changes of control, and master-limited partnership restructurings in this sector.
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Public Utilities
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O’Melveny is one of a few major firms with experience in the regulatory intricacies of energy-related public utilities. On both the national and state level, actual or potential public utility status can be a critical factor in structuring transactions, gaining essential approvals, assuring cost recovery from ratepayers, and dealing with regulatory investigations. Our deal lawyers work closely with regulatory lawyers to fashion client strategies at FERC and the state utility commission.
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Southern California Edison
Edison Mission Marketing & Trading (EMMT)
Norsk Hydro ASA
Dynegy
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