Supporting Oil & Gas Sector Regulatory Compliance Nationwide
Marten lawyers represent oil-and-gas sector clients in a wide variety of environmental, land use, and natural resources matters—from regulatory advocacy and strategy, to compliance assistance and risk management, to permitting and project development. We also handle government and internal investigations, civil and white collar litigation, and disaster response and crisis communications. Our regulatory, enforcement, litigation, and transactional matters span the country.
We navigate a rapidly changing and increasingly global regulatory landscape, addressing upstream, midstream, and downstream issues. We remove legal uncertainties to enable business decisions necessary to effectively explore, develop, refine, transport, and sell liquid hydrocarbons and biofuels. We help a range of oil and natural gas producers, refineries, and pipeline companies obtain the necessary pre-construction and pre-operation permits necessary to drive infrastructure projects forward— on schedule, with minimal environmental impact and at least possible cost. Our federal agency and state-level contacts also enable us to participate meaningfully in rulemaking. We effectively manage oversight and enforcement actions, and avoid litigation where feasible, through proactive government engagement. If necessary, however, we go to trial.
Capabilities:
- Obtaining permits and project authorizations/approvals
- Supporting onshore and offshore leasing and development
- Acquiring approvals for drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and related operations
- Assisting with pipeline strategic planning, media affairs, and construction
- Due diligence and permitting related to land use and zoning needs
- Advising on rights-of-way on federal and tribal lands
- Counseling on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), state NEPA, and other environmental impact review processes
- Compliance with federal and state air quality requirements at oil and gas facilities
- Water, wetlands, and wells permitting and regulation
- Endangered species, migratory birds, wildlife protection
- Congressional oversight and hearings
- Federal agency and state AG enforcement defense, including opposing civil and criminal penalties
- Regulatory advocacy and White House engagement, from comments on proposed rules to legal challenges to rulemaking under the APA
- Administrative and judicial appeals of adverse agency judgments, among others
