Energy Projects Counsel

Upstream Oil & Gas

GAILLE’s managing partner, Scott Gaille, was previously the General Counsel for a NASDAQ-listed exploration and production company with assets in North America and Europe and the President of a private equity-backed international exploration company. Our partner Walter Daniel is a Texas lawyer and English Solicitor who resided not only in Texas but also the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Libya, and Kazakhstan for over 16 years working as counsel for international oil corporations on subsurface use contracts and other transactional matters. This blend of public-private and domestic-international experience enables GAILLE to effectively represent a wide range of clients and matters in the upstream oil and gas sector.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
NORTH AMERICA UPSTREAM
  • South Texas Eagle Ford shale joint venture with major integrated E&P company, which included a $500 million lease bank and a 10% carried working interest in development wells for the client
  • Three-phase shale joint venture in East Texas with a major industry partner, which included nine figures of cash consideration and carried well costs for the client
  • Nine figure division of assets agreement, pursuant to which former joint venture partners were buyers and sellers across different production areas
  • Shale joint venture in East Texas with a major private equity fund, which included eight figures of cash and an ongoing management fee
  • Shale joint venture with a private equity portfolio company, which included a carry of wells and other costs for the client
  • Joint exploration and development agreement with public company partner in DJ Basin
  • Asset sale agreement, disposing of the acreage position and accompanying production for eight figures cash
  • Nine figure asset sale and purchase agreement in Eagle Ford Shale
  • Texas panhandle production and acreage divestment by major operator in eight figure asset sale and purchase agreement
  • Permian Basin eight figure asset sale and purchase agreement
  • Frequent negotiations of dispositions and acquisitions of working interests (operated and non-operated) throughout the United States
  • Frequent negotiation of AAPL joint operating agreements on behalf of both operators and non-operators
  • Frequent negotiation of master service agreements on behalf of operators and service companies
  • Frequent negotiation of drilling contracts on behalf of operators
  • Frequent negotiation of procurement and services agreements related to the operation of wells and production facilities in the Eagle Ford
  • Angola. Negotiation of Production Sharing Contracts and Joint Operating Agreements for two offshore blocks
  • Angola. Restructured terms and conditions of onshore block with Sonangol, which included assignment of a portion of the client’s working interest and operatorship
  • Nigeria. Negotiation of Joint Study and Bidding Agreement between two major independents participating in deepwater bid round
  • Nigeria. Acquisition of a 15% working interest in deepwater block via farm-in agreement
  • Nigeria. Acquisition of a 5% working interest in a deepwater block via farm-in agreement
  • Nigeria. Acquisition of an interest in a deepwater block via an asset exchange agreement
  • Guinea Bissau. Represented company’s position with respect to shallow water and deepwater blocks
  • Equatorial Guinea. Negotiation of Production Sharing Contract for deepwater block
  • Togo. Negotiation of Production Sharing Contract for deepwater block
  • Cameroon. Acquisition of a working interest in a deepwater block via a farm-in agreement
  • Madagascar. Acquisition of a royalty interest in a deepwater block via financing agreement
  • Madagascar. Acquisition of a royalty interest in a shallow water block via financing agreement
  • South Africa. Acquisition of an indirect interest in a deepwater block via a stock purchase agreement in an offshore entity
  • South Africa. Renegotiated deepwater exploration rights with the Petroleum Agency
  • Ghana. Represented client in marketing of deepwater block interest to private equity funds
  • Cote D’Ivoire. Represented client in marketing of deepwater block interests to private equity funds
  • Mauritania. Represented client in meetings with government ministers regarding targeted acquisition before and after coup
  • Gabon. Represented client in meetings with government ministers regarding targeted acquisition
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo. Represented client in meetings with government ministers regarding targeted acquisition
  • Seychelles. Represented client in proposal to partner with the state oil company in the joint development of unlicensed blocks
  • Sao Tome. Represented client in proposal to partner with the state oil company in the joint development of unlicensed blocks
  • Libya. Represented client’s interests in petroleum assets during period of United States sanctions
  • Libya. Renegotiated concession agreements following the lifting of sanctions
  • Libya. Participated in exploration block bidding round
  • Angola. Pre-qualified for exploration block bidding round
  • Egypt. Negotiated petroleum joint venture agreements with Egyptian private investors
  • Algeria. Represented client in asset acquisition evaluation
  • Republic of the Congo. Closed office and terminated in-country contracts and employment agreements as part of exit
  • Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda. Represented client in the evaluation of rift valley petroleum blocks
  • Suriname. Negotiated Production Sharing Contract and Joint Operating Agreement with Staatsolie
  • Suriname. Acquired interest in block through farmout agreement and then negotiated a subsequent Joint Operating Agreement
  • French Guiana. Negotiated farmout agreement for acquisition of block interest
  • Guyana. Acquired interest in block through farmout agreement and subsequently negotiated the Joint Operating Agreement
  • Colombia. Represented client’s holdings in Colombia, including drilling campaigns, acquisitions, and dispositions
  • Ecuador. Negotiated acquisition of Amazon basin block
  • Pakistan. Represented client at bid round, acquiring government interests in onshore oil blocks for nine figures
  • Lebanon. Negotiated joint study and bidding agreement related to offshore natural gas rights
  • Lebanon. Counseled Government of Lebanon regarding the creation of its petroleum regulatory and licensing regime
  • Saudi Arabia. Represented client in Riyadh meetings at quarterly joint venture operating committee for Red Sea natural gas project
  • Oman. Negotiated gas project that sold associated gas that was previously being flared (using a seller-nominated gas sales and purchase agreement)
  • Oman. Represented client on acquisition of heavy oil project
  • Oman. Negotiated farmout agreement for onshore block, divesting a partial interest to a Japanese trading house
  • United Arab Emirates. Negotiated joint venture agreement with the Government of Abu Dhabi
  • Qatar. Represented company in various matters related to its offshore production sharing agreements
  • Yemen. Represented company in various issues arising under its production sharing agreements
  • Kazakhstan. Represented company in the evaluation of acquisitions
  • Azerbaijan. Negotiated joint study and bidding agreement related to acquisition of enhanced oil recovery project
  • United Arab Emirates. Negotiated concession agreement for onshore block