James Robertson

James Robertson is of counsel in the Houston office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and a member of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions, Oil and Gas, Private Equity and Energy and Infrastructure practice groups. James primarily represents exploration and production companies, midstream companies, private equity clients, and other financial institutions in complex transactions across the energy sector, with a particular focus on acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures involving domestic upstream and midstream oil and gas assets.

He received a J.D., magna cum laude, from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 2010, where he served as Associate Managing Editor of the International Law Review and was selected as a member of the Order of the Coif. James earned a B.S., cum laude, in Economics and Finance from the University of Texas at Dallas where he was awarded a full academic scholarship.

Most recently, James was recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™ for 2024 (Oil and Gas Law).

Representative Matters*

Upstream and Midstream Mergers & Acquisitions & Exchanges

• Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) in its acquisition of DoublePoint Energy, LLC, valued at approximately $6.4 billion.
• Reliance Marcellus, LLC in its divestiture of its Marcellus shale assets to Norther Oil and Gas, Inc. (NYSE: NOG), valued at approximately $250 million.
• Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) in its all-stock acquisition of Parsley Energy Inc. (NYSE: PE), valued at approximately $7.6 billion.
• Anadarko Petroleum Corp. in its $2.3 billion sale of its Eagle Ford assets to Sanchez Energy and Blackstone Energy Partners.
• Enduring Resources, LLC in its $2.5 billion sale of its Permian Business Unit to American Energy.
• A large public exploration and production company in connection with the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of a private equity backed exploration and production company for $1.2 billion in cash and stock.
• Reliance Holding USA, Inc. in its $2.15 billion sale to Enterprise Products Partners LP.
• Newfield Exploration in its $390 million sale to Protégé Energy of its Eagle Ford and South Texas assets.
• Representation of Lonestar Resources US Inc. (NASDAQ: LONE) in its $38.7 million acquisition of Eagle Ford assets from Sabine Oil & Gas Corp. and Alerion Gas AXA LLC
• Representation of a private equity firm and upstream portfolio company in its $78.5 million divestiture of non-operating Eagle Ford assets to a public exploration and production company
• Representation of an independent E&P company in its divestiture of a produced water disposal business in the Permian Basin
• Representation of Midcoast Energy in its divestiture of certain natural gas gathering and processing assets in Texas
• A newly formed and private equity backed exploration and production company in its $400 million acquisition of substantially all of the assets of a private equity backed portfolio company.
• An ad hoc group of unsecured noteholders in its formation of a new exploration and production company and acquisition of the Permian Basin assets of Breitburn Energy Partners LP in its $3.6 billion restructuring.
• A private equity fund in its acquisition of, and subsequent joint sale to SM Energy of, oil and gas assets in Howard and Martin Counties, Texas for $1.6 billion.
• Bold Energy III LLC in its combination with Earthstone Energy, Inc.
• Riverstone in its $1.6 billion acquisition of Centennial Resource Development, Inc.
• Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas in its $1.8 billion acquisition of the Deepwater assets in the Gulf of Mexico from Apache Corporation.
• Representation of a private equity company in its acquisition of interests in 28 deep-water Gulf of Mexico leases and structuring, negotiating and implementing (i) Participation Agreement calling for a minimum expenditure of $600 million and (ii) Management Services Agreement.
• Energy Transfer Equity LP in its $1.0 billion acquisition of Trunkline LNG Company, a provider of bulk storage and regasification of liquefied natural gas.
• EXCO Resources Inc. in its $1 billion acquisition of the Northern Eagle Ford and Haynesville Shale assets located in Texas and Louisiana owned by Chesapeake Energy Corporation.
• EXCO Resources Inc. in its $131 million acquisition of certain conventional oil and natural gas assets in East Texas and North Louisiana from an affiliate of BG Group Plc.
• Triangle Petroleum Corporation in its $120 million acquisition of Williston Basin oil & gas producing properties located in North Dakota and Montana.
• Rosetta Resources Inc. in its $85 million acquisition of Delaware Basin assets.
• Rosetta Resources Inc. in its $3.9 billion sale to Noble Energy, Inc.
• A public oil and gas company in connection with a simultaneous like-kind exchange of producing oil and gas assets in the Permian Basin.
• A public oil and gas company in connection with a reverse like-kind exchange comprised of multiple divestitures and acquisitions.
• A private oil and gas company in connection with a reverse like-kind exchange of producing oil and gas property.
• Trilantic Capital Partners IV L.P. in its investment in a newly formed oil and gas exploration and production company.
• A private equity company in its acquisition of 160,000 acres in South Texas from a private exploration and production company.
• A private upstream exploration and production company in its formation of a partnership with a private equity firm.

Upstream and Midstream Joint Ventures

• Occidental Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: OXY) and certain of its affiliates in its $1.5 billion upstream joint venture with a subsidiary of Ecopetrol SA, covering 97,000 net acres in the Midland Basin.
• EOG Resources, Inc. in its $400 million “drillco” joint venture with The Carlyle Group to fund the development of certain EOG’s oil and gas assets in Oklahoma.
• Total E&P USA, Inc. in its Deep Water Gulf of Mexico joint venture with Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
• Consolidated Edison, Inc. in its formation of a $2 billion natural gas pipeline and storage joint venture with Crestwood Equity Partners LP.
• CONSOL Energy in its separation of its Marcellus/Utica joint venture with Noble Energy, Inc.
• Riverstone Holdings LLC in its Gulf of Mexico joint venture with Ridgewood Energy Corporation.
• Continental Resources, Inc. in its $360 million joint venture with SK E&S Co. Ltd. for 49.9% stake in undeveloped acreage of Woodford natural gas property.
• Swift Energy Operating, LLC in its $175 million joint venture with PT Saka Energi Indonesia for 36% stake in undeveloped acreage of Eagle Ford property.
• EXCO Resources Inc. in its US$131 million joint venture with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for 50% stake in undeveloped acreage of Eagle Ford property.

Other Strategic Transactions

• ArcLight Capital Partners in an $810 million reorganization and recapitalization of its midstream portfolio company in connection with a preferred equity investment and new term loan facility.
• A public oilfield services company in the sale of its water handling and disposal business unit.
• A private oilfield cementing and acidizing company in its $84 million sale to a publicly traded oilfield services company.
• A private crude oil logistics company in the sale of its oil marketing, transportation and water disposal businesses.
• A private well treatment company in its sale to a publicly traded oilfield services company.

Publications

Bridging the Divide, April 2019 issue of the Oil and Gas Investor.

The New Horizontal Modified Operating Agreement and Additional Drafting Considerations, 35 Energy & Min. L. Inst. Ch. 12 (2014).

The Basics of Like-Kind Exchanges of Oil and Gas Properties, July/August 2012 issue of The Landman, the official publication of the AAPL.

How Bankruptcies May Affect Parties with Interest, November 9, 2015 issue of the Texas Lawyer.

* Includes matters handled prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher

Capabilities

• Oil and Gas
• Energy and Infrastructure
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Power and Renewables
• Private Equity

Credentials

Education:

• SMU Dedman School of Law - 2010 Juris Doctor
• University of Texas - 2007 Bachelor of Science

Admissions:

• Texas Bar