Shale & Unconventional Resources

Jackson Walker has been a “go-to” law firm in Texas in the oil and gas industry for more than 125 years and has been at the forefront of addressing issues related to horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing and other issues frequently encountered in developing unconventional resources such as shale gas and tight oil. This experience is not just legal, but also technical and operational, as some of our attorneys also have significant operating, field, and research and development experience. We understand the fast-paced environment in which our clients work and the important role we play in our clients’ success.

Our attorneys have advised a deep and diverse client base, including national and multinational E&P companies, independent producers, service providers, private equity funds and many other types of market participants, successfully resolving issues and conflicts related to the exploration and production of unconventional oil and gas resources. We represent clients active in the major shale resources plays across the United States, including the Bakken, Barnett, Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, Haynesville, Marcellus, Permian, Utica, Wolfcamp and Woodford formations.

Our practice has been nationally recognized as one of the top practices in oil and gas energy law in the country, receiving a “Tier One” national ranking in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” guide.

Collaborative, Problem-Solving Approach

Jackson Walker takes a collaborative, problem-solving approach to its shale and unconventional resources practice. We regularly assist our clients in all aspects of a broad range of oil and gas transactions relating to the ownership, use, exploration, development, and operation of unconventional oil and gas assets, the production and sale of hydrocarbons from these assets, and the financing of these types of transactions. Our team draws upon the industry-specific experience and knowledge of attorneys practicing in areas of law that are fundamental to a successful transaction, including energy, tax, securities, regulatory, intellectual property, litigation, bankruptcy and environmental matters.

  • Representation of the investment arm of a Fortune 100 company in the structuring and negotiation of a new investment limited partnership and mineral interest acquisition and participation agreement pursuant to which the investment partnership received investment capital for deployment in the acquisition of unleased oil, gas and other hydrocarbon acreage in the Niobrara, Woodford, Eagle Ford, Bakken and other oil and gas shale plays across North America
  • Representation of Abraxas Petroleum Corporation (AXAS), a NASDAQ company, in the formation and capitalization of a joint venture, Blue Eagle Energy, LLC, to develop acreage located in Atascosa, DeWitt and Lavaca Counties in the Eagle Ford shale play
  • Representation of the oil and gas exploration and production subsidiary of a major electric power generation company in Florida in negotiating and consummating a joint development agreement with a large independent oil and gas producer covering undeveloped oil and gas lease acreage in the Woodford Shale area in Oklahoma, in a transaction valued in excess of $100 million
  • Representation of the outside directors in a publicly traded Delaware oil and gas partnership in the acquisition of properties in the Marcellus Shale area of West Virginia
  • Representation of a midstream natural gas service provider and publicly traded master limited partnership in the acquisition of the midstream natural gas and condensate assets of a publicly traded producer in the Eagle Ford Shale Field area involving pipelines and related assets in three South Texas counties in a transaction valued in excess of $25 million
  • Representation of several limited partnerships of individual oil and gas investors in negotiations with an independent oil and gas producer headquartered in Denver, Colorado, concerning an area of mutual interest and joint development transaction covering lands in West Texas, with significant potential development opportunities in the Devonian Shale
  • Representation of a natural gas pipeline operator in the acquisition via dropdown of a gathering pipeline system, transportation rights and plant facilities in a shale field
  • Representation of a natural gas pipeline in the disposition of major natural gas and condensate pipeline assets
  • Representation of a gas producer and pipeline operator in the disposition of leasehold working interests in a major shale gas field, together with associated gathering and other pipeline systems, transportation rights and plant facilities
  • Representation of a privately held oil and gas producer in the acquisition of over 20,000 mineral acres and the creation of a joint venture relationship with a major oil company with a pipeline for the development of the Barnett Shale area in North Texas, in a transaction valued at $450 million. The representation included multiple financings, multiple joint ventures and the ultimate sale of the project to a third party.
  • Representation of a privately owned U.S. oil and gas producer in negotiations with a U.S. private equity firm concerning a participation agreement covering the joint development of several thousand acres of State of Texas leases for oil and gas production from the Devonian Shale formation
  • Representation of a midstream natural gas service provider and publicly traded MLP in the acquisition of the midstream natural gas and condensate assets of a publicly traded producer in the Eagle Ford
  • Representation of a publicly traded oil and gas producer and its subsidiaries in connection with several development drilling agreements which provided the client with access to more than 3,000 acres of drilling locations in the Barnett Shale area of North Texas, including the negotiation of two long-term drilling contracts to assure adequate drilling rig availability
  • Representation of an independent oil and gas producer and two of its affiliates in the sale of producing oil and gas wells and approximately 44,000 net acres of undeveloped oil and gas leases covering lands located in the Permian Basin region of West Texas believed to be prospective of the Bone Spring and Wolfcamp shales, in a transaction valued at approximately $300 million
  • Representation of a publicly traded oil and gas producer in its sale of all of its upstream and midstream natural gas assets in the Fayetteville Shale Field area of Arkansas, in a transaction valued in excess of $600 million
  • Representation of one of the largest U.S. producers of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs) in structuring and negotiating a joint development project to fund, construct, operate, and maintain the largest integrated midstream service complex for the gathering and processing of natural gas and the fractionation of NGLs in the Utica Shale play in Eastern Ohio
  • Representation of a gas gathering company formed as a joint venture between a large, independent oil and gas producer and a major intrastate pipeline company in the negotiation of a firm gas gathering agreement with a publicly traded independent gas producer covering substantial dedicated acreage in the Haynesville Shale Field in Louisiana

Robert M. Biedrzycki

Robert M. Biedrzycki

Associate, San Antonio
210.978.7756

Brandon Durrett

Brandon Durrett

Senior Counsel, San Antonio
210.978.7781

Joe Flack

Joe Flack

Partner, Houston
713.752.4305

Alicia R. French

Alicia R. French

Senior Counsel, Austin
512.236.2352

Carl E. Glaze

Carl E. Glaze

Senior Counsel, Dallas
214.953.5808

Jeffrey Grable

Jeffrey Grable

Partner, Fort Worth
817.334.7259

Peter E. Hosey

Peter E. Hosey

Partner, San Antonio
210.228.2423

Anna R. Irion

Anna R. Irion

Partner, Houston
713.752.4229

Reagan M. Marble

Reagan M. Marble

Partner, San Antonio
210.978.7770

Reagan Marble

December 18, 2023
Mentions

‘Hart Energy’ Quotes Reagan Marble on Lithium Extraction in Texas

With energy companies in northeast Texas showing interest in pursuing lithium, Reagan Marble shared insight with Hart Energy about the legal questions surrounding lithium ownership.

April 5, 2021
Speaking Engagements

Reagan Marble to Share Legal and Ethical Checklist for Mineral Buyers, Lease Brokers, and Counsel

Reagan Marble presents “A Legal and Ethical Checklist For Mineral Buyers, Lease Brokers, and Their Lawyers” during the Houston Association of Professional Landmen’s 52nd Annual Technical Workshop on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.

October 30, 2020
Speaking Engagements

Reagan Marble to Present at The Eugene Kuntz Conference on Natural Resources Law and Policy

During The Eugene Kuntz Conference on Natural Resources Law and Policy, Jackson Walker attorney Reagan Marble will present “A Legal and Ethical Checklist For Mineral Buyers, Lease Brokers, and Their Lawyers” at 11:15 a.m. on October 30, 2020.

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