Russell C. Shaw
Partner
Rusty is a Houston-based energy law partner whose practice includes both transactional and regulatory matters. Rusty represents oil and gas lenders, producers, refiners, pipeline and storage facility operators, service providers and energy consumers who are engaged in all phases of the acquisition, operation and divestiture of domestic oil and gas and energy-related assets. He regularly advises clients concerning the structure, terms and regulatory implications of a wide variety of acquisition and financing transactions, negotiates agreements and security instruments related to such transactions and supervises related due diligence activities.
Rusty has substantial experience relating to financing transactions utilizing volumetric production payments and other non-operating royalty interests and counsels clients with respect to federal and state regulatory issues affecting the ownership and operations of assets for the production, transportation, gathering and storage of natural gas, oil, petroleum products and other commodities. Rusty has represented the interests of industrial consumers of both electricity and natural gas in contested proceedings before the Texas Public Utility Commission and the Railroad Commission of Texas, and provides counsel with respect to energy-related litigation matters, including “problem credits” and bankruptcy proceedings involving oil and gas producers and facility owners.
Representative Experience
- Representation of a central U.S. refiner in connection with the acquisition, transportation and financing of Canadian crude oil
- Representation of a major producer in the Eagle Ford Shale area in connection with oil transportation and storage agreements and natural gas processing and transportation agreements
- Representation of natural gas storage facility operators in connection with the acquisition of storage rights from affected landowners and the development of new or expanded facilities and storage services
- Analysis of oil and gas lenders’ security positions and documentation of replacement liens (and assignments in lieu of foreclosure) in workouts with borrowers
- Representation of a holder of a substantial overriding royalty interest and participation in audits of payments made by the operators of the affected oil and gas properties, including audits of accountings
- Coordination of due diligence reviews on behalf of a major North American power generator and analysis of contractual and regulatory issues arising out of the generator’s foreign parent’s merger with another foreign (state-owned) entity
Publications
- "Underground Natural Gas Storage: A Survey of Issues from the Landowner’s Perspective," presented to the American Association of Mineral Owners (September 2, 1999)
