PRACTICE AREA

Energy & Natural Resources

Strategic Counsel for Complex Energy Transactions and Litigation.

Dorwart has represented participants in the energy industry for decades. Our clients include independent producers, midstream companies, energy investors, oilfield service providers, lenders, and other businesses whose operations depend on the exploration, production, transportation, processing, and marketing of energy resources.

Our work spans both transactions and disputes. We advise clients on acquisitions, joint ventures, financing transactions, commercial agreements, compliance issues, and other strategic business matters affecting energy companies. When disputes arise, we represent clients in high-stakes litigation involving drilling operations, royalty interests, operating agreements, gas purchase contracts, insurance coverage, and other energy-related matters.

Because many of our lawyers serve as outside counsel to energy companies, we understand not only the legal issues involved, but also the operational and commercial realities of the industry.

Deep Industry Experience

The energy business presents challenges that are often highly technical, capital intensive, and operationally complex.

Dorwart regularly advises clients on matters involving:

  • Commercial energy agreements
  • Complex energy transactions
  • Energy-related commercial litigation
  • Energy-related financing transactions
  • Joint ventures and development arrangements
  • LNG projects and transportation
  • Midstream infrastructure
  • Oil and gas acquisitions and divestitures
  • Oilfield services
  • Risk management and strategic counseling
  • Upstream oil and gas operations

Our experience extends beyond Oklahoma and includes matters involving operations and transactions throughout the United States and internationally.

Practical Counsel for a Complex Industry

Energy companies operate in an environment where operational, financial, commercial, and legal issues frequently overlap.

Dorwart helps clients navigate those challenges with a combination of industry knowledge, transactional experience, and courtroom capability. Whether the matter involves negotiating a strategic transaction, resolving a commercial dispute, defending a significant claim, or protecting valuable assets, our focus remains the same: advancing our clients’ business objectives and protecting long-term value.

Trusted Advisors to Energy Businesses

The energy industry has long been a cornerstone of Dorwart’s practice. Clients rely on us not only when disputes arise, but also when making strategic decisions involving acquisitions, financing, partnerships, growth initiatives, and other strategic business issues arising from their operations. That combination of transactional and litigation experience allows us to provide practical guidance grounded in a deep understanding of the industry.

Featured Matter

Multi-Million-Dollar Jury Verdict in Gas Purchase Contract Dispute

Dorwart represented an independent oil and gas producer in a significant dispute arising from a gas purchase contract. The litigation involved complex contractual, operational, and damages issues and ultimately proceeded through a four-week jury trial in Oklahoma state court.

The dispute threatened substantial economic harm to the producer and involved critical issues affecting the client’s business operations and contractual rights. Dorwart developed and presented a comprehensive trial strategy addressing both the commercial realities of the industry and the legal issues governing the parties’ contractual relationship.

The matter required mastery of complex industry practices, extensive factual development, and the presentation of sophisticated damages evidence.

The jury returned a multi-million-dollar judgment in favor of the client, and the court awarded attorneys’ fees. The result also contributed to a subsequent multi-million-dollar settlement in related litigation. The matter protected significant contractual rights, secured a substantial recovery, and demonstrated Dorwart’s ability to successfully try complex energy disputes through verdict.

Additional Representative Matters

Multi-Million-Dollar Drilling Negligence Verdict

Obtained a multi-million-dollar jury verdict on behalf of an independent oil and gas producer arising from grossly negligent drilling operations.

Bad-Faith Insurance Recovery Following Subsurface Blowout

Obtained a multi-million-dollar settlement for an oil and gas producer after an insurer refused to provide coverage for losses arising from a subsurface gas well blowout in Louisiana.

International Energy Joint Venture

Helped form a joint venture between a U.S. energy company and a Middle Eastern state-owned enterprise.

LNG Transaction

Represented an energy company in the sale of an LNG vessel.

Private Equity Energy Acquisition

Represented a private equity fund in the acquisition of multiple oilfield services companies.

Experience and Insight for your most complex legal matters

Our Lawyers:

Meet the Lawyers Who Practice in This Area

Eric Swenton

Member

Frederic Dorwart

Member

J. Michael Medina

Attorney

James Higgins

Member

Jared M. Burden

Member

Kyden Creekpaum

Member

Nora Rose O’Neill

Member

Patrick Dean

Member

Paul DeMuro

Managing Member