Energy/Shale Oil & Gas

Benesch’s Shale Oil & Gas Industry team counsels clients on the complex legal, business and regulatory issues relating to the nation’s fastest-growing energy source – shale oil and natural gas. Our team of attorneys combines broad-based legal experience in corporate, public and private finance, transportation and logistics, regulatory, environmental, litigation, real estate, construction and public law to help our clients handle the business challenges and opportunities in the shale oil and gas play, as well as manage the downstream impacts of natural gas drilling.

Our clients include:

• Oil and gas exploration and production companies
• Suppliers
• Private equity firms
• Real estate development and construction firms
• Transportation and logistics companies
• Public agencies
• Municipalities
• Landowners
• Energy generation facilities
• Utilities

At the center of the nation’s shale oil and gas boom is Ohio’s Utica Shale play. Through the natural gas drilling process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, natural gas and oil developers can now capture the rich natural gas, oil and natural-gas liquids trapped in the Utica Shale thousands of feet below ground. Exploration of Utica Shale is expected to drive the development of thousands of shale gas wells and major pipelines, processing facilities and mainstream developments to eastern Ohio over the next five years and bring up to 200,000 jobs to the state over the next decade.

Building on the deep-rooted experience of our firm’s energy practice, Benesch’s Shale Oil & Gas Industry team assists in a full scope of matters relating to natural gas drilling and production, including, but not limited to:

• Shale oil and gas permitting
• Environmental regulation
• Pipeline construction, design and leasing
• Fleet conversion to natural gas
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Public and private finance
• Transportation and commercial development
• Real estate and commercial development
• Litigation
• Regulation and government affairs
• Contract disputes

Our Shale Oil & Gas team is composed of attorneys with significant experience handling energy matters in Ohio, particularly as they relate to various industries and stakeholders. Benesch attorneys are active members of industry and business groups including the Ohio Shale Coalition, the Ohio Oil and Gas Association and various other trade associations and chambers of commerce, including the Canton and Columbus chambers. Some members of our group have more than 35 years of experience working with federal and state courts, and administrative agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ohio EPA, the Department of Natural Resources, the Public Utilities Commission and Ohio Power Siting Board. A number of our attorneys participate in trade associations and organizations relating to key industries such as transportation, real estate and logistics.

Benesch’s Shale Oil & Gas team leverages these trusted relationships with public policymakers, industry organizations and regulatory groups to continuously add value for our clients in matters relating to natural gas drilling and development, whether it’s facilitating introductions on behalf of our clients, closely tracking changing legislation and regulations, or providing constructive solutions to position our clients for strategic success.