Jesse S. Lotay
Practice Areas
Experience
- Blockchain & Digital Assets
- Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)
- Commodities & Derivatives
- Data Center
- Electric Regulatory
- Energy Acquisition & Disposition
- Energy Finance
- Oil & Gas Real Estate
- Pipeline & Midstream
- Power Generation
- Renewable Energy
- Upstream Oil & Gas
- Water
“Jesse’s ability to see the big picture creates a successful partnership between Jackson Walker and our company. He navigates the choppy waters of negotiations as legal counsel and a voice of reason, and participates as a part of our company, not simply outside counsel. Without his personal interest in our business, we would not be as successful as we are today.”
— Scott R. Phipps, Senior Vice President | One Cypress Energy
Biography
Jesse S. Lotay is the Chair of Jackson Walker LLP’s firm-wide Energy Practice.
Jesse counsels a broad spectrum of energy and non-energy clients in transactional matters, with particular expertise in the renewable, midstream, infrastructure, trading, marketing, and hedging industries. His clients include oil and gas producers, metal manufacturing companies, service providers, gatherers, transporters, processors, interstate and intrastate pipelines, marketers, storage and terminalling operators, chemical manufacturers, local distribution companies (LDCs), municipal electric utilities, industrial gas and power suppliers and end users, power generation companies, universities, borrowers, and lending institutions. He strongly believes in working with each client as a strategic partner to provide proactive legal solutions, accomplish business objectives, address specific challenges, and maximize results.
Jesse represents clients in all aspects of physical and financial trading, marketing, and hedging transactions across commodities, including environmental and other “green” attributes (e.g., RINs, RECs, NOx allowances, LCFS credits), metals (e.g., aluminum, steel), plastics, digital currencies (e.g., Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ether (ETH), Ether Classic (ETC), Litecoin (LTC)), crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), hydrogen, helium, refined products, water, interest rates, and electric power. His experience includes negotiating and navigating disputes on various purchase and sale and other master-type agreements, including the EEI Master Power PSA, GasEDI Base Contract, ISDA Master Agreement, LEAP Master Agreement, and NAESB Base Contract. He is a frequent speaker on trading, marketing, and hedging matters and has authored numerous nationally and internationally published articles on these subjects.
He regularly represents oil and gas producers, oilfield service providers, midstream companies, operators, and end users in infrastructure development and across each aspect of the oil, gas, NGL, and water value chains. These transactions include gathering, transportation, and/or processing agreements; interconnect agreements; easement and right-of-way agreements; master service agreements (MSAs); storage agreements; terminalling agreements; engineering, procurement, and construction agreements (EPC), and acquisition and disposition agreements.
Education
B.S., Trinity University
LL.M., University of Houston Law Center
J.D., University of Tulsa College of Law
- Editor-in-Chief, Tulsa Law Review
Bar Admissions
Missouri
Kansas
Texas
- Represented an AI-focused data center development in a long-term natural gas supply agreement with Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET) that will provide up to 450,000 MMBtu per day of firm natural gas supply for at least 10 years
- Commodity Purchase and Sale Agreements
- Prepaid Natural Gas Purchase and Sale Agreements
- Intercreditor Agreements
- EEI Master Power Purchase & Sale Agreements
- Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts
- Gas gathering and processing agreements
- Interconnection agreements
- ISDA Master Agreements
- NAESB Base Contract for the Sale and Purchase of Natural Gas
- Pipeline, right of way and other easement agreements
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellows Program, 2021
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), Energy Law, 2024-2025
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America, 2025
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Energy & Natural Resources, 2023-2025
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental & Energy Lawyers – Energy & Natural Resources, 2021
- “Best S.A. Lawyers” for Energy & Oil & Gas, San Antonio Scene, 2015-2024
- “Top Attorneys” List, Energy Oil and Gas, San Antonio Magazine, 2019
- Leadership Class of the Institute for Energy Law (IEL), 2018
Publications
- “Oil & Gas Transportation Service Agreements: Key Issues & Considerations,” 48th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Fundamentals and Institute (April 2022)
- Co-Author, “A Primer on Understanding Oil and Gas Transportation Agreements and Identifying Key Issues,” The University of Texas School of Law Continuing Legal Education (March 2020)
- “Hedging Oil and Gas Production: Issues and Considerations,” Thomson Reuters Practical Law Finance (March 2016)
- “Commodity Repo Agreements for Crude Oil Inventory” (E-Alert; May 7, 2014)
- “Drafting Tips: Securities Lending Authorization Agreements” (E-Alert; May 6, 2014)
- “Recent Case on Safe Harbor Provisions in Swap Agreements: Michigan State Housing Development Authority v. Lehman Brothers Derivative Products Inc., et al.” (E-Alert; January 10, 2014)
- “Quench My Thirst: Water Rights in the Context of Water Treatment Technologies,” Section Report of the Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (Vol. 37, No. 2) (Winter 2013)
- “Water Recycling and Fracking: Finding Solutions,” Texas Lawyer (Vol. 29, No. 16) (July 15, 2013)
- “Subprime Carbon: Fashioning An Appropriate Regulatory And Legislative Response To The Emerging U.S. Carbon Market To Avoid A Repeat Of History In Carbon Structured Finance And Derivative Instruments,” 32 Houston J. Int’l. Law 459 (2010)
Speeches
- “Oil & Gas Transportation Service Agreements: Key Issues & Considerations,” 48th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Fundamentals and Institute (April 2022)
- “Legal Lessons Learned from the 2020 Oil Crisis,” Jackson Walker webinar (June 2020)
- “Midstream 101: A Primer on Understanding Midstream Contracts and Identifying Key Issues,” 46th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Fundamentals, The University of Texas School of Law & The Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (March 26, 2020)
- “Blockchain 101,” 17th Annual Gas and Power Institute, The University of Texas School of Law & The Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (Houston; September 20, 2018)
- “Hedging Oil & Gas Production,” UT Law 41st Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute (Houston; March 27, 2015)
- “Understanding the ISDA Master Agreement: Frequently Negotiated Provisions” (Houston; December 16, 2014)
- “Understanding the ISDA Master Agreement & The Basics of Dodd-Frank Derivatives Compliance” (Austin; May 22, 2014)
- “Understanding the ISDA Master Agreement: Derivatives 101 & Structure of the ISDA Master Agreement” (Dallas; February 26, 2014)
- “Understanding Oil and Gas Leases, Lorman Education Services” (Webinar; July 30, 2013)
- “Quench My Thirst: Water Rights in the Context of Water Treatment Technologies,” TexasBarCLE 35th Annual Advanced Real Estate Law Course (San Antonio; July 12, 2013
In the News
- “Oil Prices Go Negative For 1st Time As Slump Worsens,” Law360 (April 20, 2020)
- “Experts: Companies with strong ‘hedge books’ will survive oil war,” Houston Chronicle (March 10, 2020)
- “Experts: Hedging a ‘double-edged sword’ at $30 per barrel prices,” San Antonio Business Journal (April 5, 2016)
- “Jackson Walker LLP attorney offers advice for surviving in trying times of energy sector,” San Antonio Business Journal (March 25, 2016)
- Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio, Board Member & Committee Chair
- International Energy Credit Association (IECA)
- Institute for Energy Law (IEL) Leadership Class
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Fellows Program, 2021
- Leadership San Antonio
- State Bar of Texas: Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section
- University of Texas School of Law Gas and Power Institute Planning Committee
- World Affairs Council of San Antonio, Board of Trustees
May 30, 2025
Newsletters
JW Belonging & Inclusion Newsletter – May 2025
View Jackson Walker’s May 2025 Belonging & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.
February 24, 2025
Attorney News
Lawdragon Names 15 Jackson Walker Partners Among Leading Energy Lawyers of 2025
According to Lawdragon, the Energy 500 list “reflects the historic strength of a handful of firms in this area, as well as the incursions the global powerhouses have made establishing Energy as a mainstay of their practices.”
December 16, 2024
Newsletters
JW Belonging & Inclusion Newsletter – December 2024
View Jackson Walker’s December 2024 Belonging & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.
October 22, 2024
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates 11 Attorneys Named to 2025 ‘Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America’ List
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the selection of 11 attorneys to Lawdragon’s list of the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America.”
August 15, 2024
Attorney News
‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Features 306 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2025 Edition, Including 9 “Lawyers of the Year” and 75 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 306 Jackson Walker attorneys across 81 specialty practice areas in its 2025 edition, including 9 Lawyers of the Year and 75 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (75 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (55 attorneys) and the addition of 27 attorneys as Best Lawyers.
April 15, 2024
Newsletters
JW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – April 2024
View Jackson Walker’s April 2024 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.
March 12, 2024
Attorney News
Danny Nappier Joins Jackson Walker’s Energy Practice
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce that Danny Nappier has joined the Energy practice group as a partner in the Dallas office.
February 16, 2024
Attorney News
Lawdragon Names 12 Jackson Walker Partners Among Leading Energy Lawyers of 2024
According to Lawdragon, the Energy 500 list “reflects the historic strength of a handful of firms in this area, as well as the incursions the global powerhouses have made establishing Energy as a mainstay of their practices.”
Castleton Commodities International
Jesse led the team representing global commodity merchant Castleton Commodities International LLC (CCI) in its acquisition of Enstor Energy Services LLC, the natural gas trading business of Avangrid Inc., a $32 billion diversified energy and utility company. CCI ranks among the top marketers of natural gas in the U.S., transacting on approximately 100 pipelines and over 60 storage facilities to create a geographically diverse portfolio of natural gas assets. View the news release »
Civitas Resources
Jesse led the Jackson Walker team that handled the oil and gas hedging transactions for a $2 billion credit facility involving the merger of two publicly traded Denver-based oil and gas companies to form Civitas Resources, Inc., Colorado’s first carbon neutral energy producer. The transaction was listed among the “Top 10 M&A Deals of 2021” by The Texas Lawbook. View the news release »
NuStar Linden
Jackson Walker successfully represented NuStar Energy L.P. in its acquisition of full ownership of a refined products terminal in Linden, N.J., which is located in the New York Harbor. The terminal was previously operated as a joint venture with Linden Holding Corp., and NuStar had 50 percent ownership of the facility. NuStar purchased the remaining ownership interest from Linden, a subsidiary of NIC Holding Corp., for $142.5 million. View the news release »
NuStar Refinery
Jackson Walker successfully represented client NuStar Energy L.P. in the sale of its San Antonio refinery and related assets to Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. for $100 million, plus closing date inventory of approximately $15 million. The related assets included a terminal in Elmendorf, Texas, and a pipeline connecting the terminal and refinery. View the news release »
Practice Experience
- Represented an AI-focused data center development in a long-term natural gas supply agreement with Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET) that will provide up to 450,000 MMBtu per day of firm natural gas supply for at least 10 years
- Commodity Purchase and Sale Agreements
- Prepaid Natural Gas Purchase and Sale Agreements
- Intercreditor Agreements
- EEI Master Power Purchase & Sale Agreements
- Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts
- Gas gathering and processing agreements
- Interconnection agreements
- ISDA Master Agreements
- NAESB Base Contract for the Sale and Purchase of Natural Gas
- Pipeline, right of way and other easement agreements
Recognition & Accolades
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellows Program, 2021
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), Energy Law, 2024-2025
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America, 2025
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Energy & Natural Resources, 2023-2025
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental & Energy Lawyers – Energy & Natural Resources, 2021
- “Best S.A. Lawyers” for Energy & Oil & Gas, San Antonio Scene, 2015-2024
- “Top Attorneys” List, Energy Oil and Gas, San Antonio Magazine, 2019
- Leadership Class of the Institute for Energy Law (IEL), 2018
Publications & Speeches
Publications
- “Oil & Gas Transportation Service Agreements: Key Issues & Considerations,” 48th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Fundamentals and Institute (April 2022)
- Co-Author, “A Primer on Understanding Oil and Gas Transportation Agreements and Identifying Key Issues,” The University of Texas School of Law Continuing Legal Education (March 2020)
- “Hedging Oil and Gas Production: Issues and Considerations,” Thomson Reuters Practical Law Finance (March 2016)
- “Commodity Repo Agreements for Crude Oil Inventory” (E-Alert; May 7, 2014)
- “Drafting Tips: Securities Lending Authorization Agreements” (E-Alert; May 6, 2014)
- “Recent Case on Safe Harbor Provisions in Swap Agreements: Michigan State Housing Development Authority v. Lehman Brothers Derivative Products Inc., et al.” (E-Alert; January 10, 2014)
- “Quench My Thirst: Water Rights in the Context of Water Treatment Technologies,” Section Report of the Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (Vol. 37, No. 2) (Winter 2013)
- “Water Recycling and Fracking: Finding Solutions,” Texas Lawyer (Vol. 29, No. 16) (July 15, 2013)
- “Subprime Carbon: Fashioning An Appropriate Regulatory And Legislative Response To The Emerging U.S. Carbon Market To Avoid A Repeat Of History In Carbon Structured Finance And Derivative Instruments,” 32 Houston J. Int’l. Law 459 (2010)
Speeches
- “Oil & Gas Transportation Service Agreements: Key Issues & Considerations,” 48th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Fundamentals and Institute (April 2022)
- “Legal Lessons Learned from the 2020 Oil Crisis,” Jackson Walker webinar (June 2020)
- “Midstream 101: A Primer on Understanding Midstream Contracts and Identifying Key Issues,” 46th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Fundamentals, The University of Texas School of Law & The Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (March 26, 2020)
- “Blockchain 101,” 17th Annual Gas and Power Institute, The University of Texas School of Law & The Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (Houston; September 20, 2018)
- “Hedging Oil & Gas Production,” UT Law 41st Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute (Houston; March 27, 2015)
- “Understanding the ISDA Master Agreement: Frequently Negotiated Provisions” (Houston; December 16, 2014)
- “Understanding the ISDA Master Agreement & The Basics of Dodd-Frank Derivatives Compliance” (Austin; May 22, 2014)
- “Understanding the ISDA Master Agreement: Derivatives 101 & Structure of the ISDA Master Agreement” (Dallas; February 26, 2014)
- “Understanding Oil and Gas Leases, Lorman Education Services” (Webinar; July 30, 2013)
- “Quench My Thirst: Water Rights in the Context of Water Treatment Technologies,” TexasBarCLE 35th Annual Advanced Real Estate Law Course (San Antonio; July 12, 2013
In the News
- “Oil Prices Go Negative For 1st Time As Slump Worsens,” Law360 (April 20, 2020)
- “Experts: Companies with strong ‘hedge books’ will survive oil war,” Houston Chronicle (March 10, 2020)
- “Experts: Hedging a ‘double-edged sword’ at $30 per barrel prices,” San Antonio Business Journal (April 5, 2016)
- “Jackson Walker LLP attorney offers advice for surviving in trying times of energy sector,” San Antonio Business Journal (March 25, 2016)
Community Involvement
- Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio, Board Member & Committee Chair
- International Energy Credit Association (IECA)
- Institute for Energy Law (IEL) Leadership Class
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Fellows Program, 2021
- Leadership San Antonio
- State Bar of Texas: Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section
- University of Texas School of Law Gas and Power Institute Planning Committee
- World Affairs Council of San Antonio, Board of Trustees
Spotlight
Castleton Commodities International
Jesse led the team representing global commodity merchant Castleton Commodities International LLC (CCI) in its acquisition of Enstor Energy Services LLC, the natural gas trading business of Avangrid Inc., a $32 billion diversified energy and utility company. CCI ranks among the top marketers of natural gas in the U.S., transacting on approximately 100 pipelines and over 60 storage facilities to create a geographically diverse portfolio of natural gas assets. View the news release »
Civitas Resources
Jesse led the Jackson Walker team that handled the oil and gas hedging transactions for a $2 billion credit facility involving the merger of two publicly traded Denver-based oil and gas companies to form Civitas Resources, Inc., Colorado’s first carbon neutral energy producer. The transaction was listed among the “Top 10 M&A Deals of 2021” by The Texas Lawbook. View the news release »
NuStar Linden
Jackson Walker successfully represented NuStar Energy L.P. in its acquisition of full ownership of a refined products terminal in Linden, N.J., which is located in the New York Harbor. The terminal was previously operated as a joint venture with Linden Holding Corp., and NuStar had 50 percent ownership of the facility. NuStar purchased the remaining ownership interest from Linden, a subsidiary of NIC Holding Corp., for $142.5 million. View the news release »
NuStar Refinery
Jackson Walker successfully represented client NuStar Energy L.P. in the sale of its San Antonio refinery and related assets to Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. for $100 million, plus closing date inventory of approximately $15 million. The related assets included a terminal in Elmendorf, Texas, and a pipeline connecting the terminal and refinery. View the news release »