LEGAL AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

Energy Law
Environmental Law
Title Examinations - Oil & Gas

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

Mr. Smith has been affiliated with Pray Walker since 1983, practicing in the areas of energy law, environmental law and title examinations law, with a primary emphasis in stock and/or asset transactional work involving oil and gas exploration and production assets, gathering and other midstream assets and “brownfields” redevelopment real estate projects. Mr. Smith has negotiated, coordinated and closed numerous acquisitions and dispositions of energy and real property assets and has conducted and overseen many title due diligence projects in multi-state transactions involving the purchase or collateralization of oil and gas assets. In his practice of Energy Law, Mr. Smith has represented primarily exploration and production companies involved in the buying, selling, leasing and development of oil and gas assets and in the purchase or sale of stock. In this context, Mr. Smith has negotiated purchase and sale agreements, exploration agreements, joint venture agreements, gas gathering and marketing agreements and performed other general contract drafting. Further, Mr. Smith has negotiated settlements of energy litigation and is well versed in energy loan documentation and financing structures.

Mr. Smith has represented oil companies involved in hydrocarbon remediations and “brownfields” redevelopments in the States of California, New Jersey and Vermont and in Ontario, Canada. In such projects, Mr. Smith has negotiated prospective purchaser agreements, covenants not to sue, remedial action workplans, remediation trust agreements, environmental deed restrictions and third-party environmental indemnity agreements. Further, Mr. Smith has worked closely with environmental consultants in report preparation and review and has been involved in numerous negotiation sessions with environmental regulatory agencies.

As a title lawyer, Mr. Smith has prepared division order and drill site title opinions and has, in the Firm’s representation of buyers of exploration and production or midstream assets, performed many limited acquisition title opinions and due diligence reports.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri
Bachelor of Arts Degree (1979)

University of Tulsa
Juris Doctorate (1982)

LEGAL ASSOCIATIONS

Oklahoma Bar Association
• Member, Mineral Law Section (Chair, 1995)

Missouri Bar Association

Illinois Bar Association

Texas Bar Association

Tulsa County Bar Association
• Member, Mineral Law Section (1984-present)

TRADE MEMBERSHIPS

Tulsa Association of Petroleum Landmen: Member, 1986-present
Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association: Chair, Legal Committee, 2003 to 2005

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS

Mr. Smith represents mostly independent oil and gas producers engaged in the acquisition, drilling and production of hydrocarbon reserves and gas gathering companies involved in the “midstream” gathering and marketing of natural gas. Other clients include:

• The first former refinery in the United States to be dismantled, removed, remediated and returned to commercial use.
• Companies involved in the exploration and development of coalbed methane gas and other nonconventional hydrocarbons.
• Gas and electric utilities in the context of their non-regulated exploration and production and gas gathering assets.
• Trash-to-Energy Plant involved in the receipt and incineration of municipal solid waste and the sale of steam to a nearby refinery.
• International oil companies engaged in the disposition of their United States assets.