Energy & Resources
As businesses have expanded their operations, our firm has also expanded its global presence, establishing offices in the oil and gas producing regions where our clients operate. Today, our international network includes more than 250 legal professionals and offices in Calgary, Toronto, Moscow, Almaty, Atyrau, Caracas, and Rio de Janeiro.
The depth of legal services we provide is significant. We advise clients on onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration and development issues, underground natural gas storage matters and alternate power energy projects. We provide counsel in relation to acquisitions and dispositions, domestic and international marketing, carbon credit trading, litigation, commercial dispute resolution, regulatory issues, and environmental and aboriginal law matters.
We are leaders in advising clients in legal matters related to coalbed methane, LNG, oil sands, pipeline, petroleum, and facility acquisitions, and federal and provincial government projects. Members of our group assist clients in the development of oil and gas regulations and contracts, and advise states and state owned oil companies on structures for attracting petroleum investment to their country, and directing the legal aspects of energy infrastructure projects in Canada and around the world.
Project Development and Finance
We help businesses structure joint ventures and partnerships to conduct oil and gas activities in Canada and internationally. Our lawyers perform due diligence for oil, gas and securities transactions and provide comprehensive regulatory and commercial advice on major projects, such as processing plants, pipelines and cogeneration facilities. We work with domestic and international clients on all aspects of developing projects such as power plants, LNG terminals, drilling platforms, refineries, and waste-to-ethanol facilities.
Regulatory
We offer a full range of regulatory law services and have significant experience in all aspects of practice before the National Energy Board (NEB), the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) and the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC).
Our lawyers have acted for proponents of various energy projects, including intra-provincial and inter-provincial pipelines, oil sands developments, and well and field facilities. We represent clients on pipeline construction applications and rate hearings, cost of capital determinations, gas export applications, pipeline apportionment determinations, and well licensing applications.
We represent shippers and shipper groups in numerous proceedings involving the tolls and tariffs on oil, gas and natural gas liquids pipelines. We also represent both producers and purchasers in applications to export natural gas from Canada to the United States.
Environmental
We advise on all aspects of hydrocarbon and electricity marketing (domestic and international), carbon credit trading, litigation and commercial dispute resolution, as well as regulatory matters, environmental and aboriginal law.
We counsel energy companies with respect to environmental regulations applicable to their businesses, including oil spill preparation and response, fuels formulation and distribution requirements, nuclear cleanup, toxic substances registration, air emission standards, water discharge limitations and environmental impacts of pipeline construction.
Emissions Trading
Macleod Dixon is among only a handful of law firms in the world with unique, substantial experience in the developing area of CO2 and emission credit trading. We have been involved with many of the first carbon/emission credit trades done worldwide and have in-depth experience related to Kyoto Protocol compliance. Our lawyers are also highly skilled in the area of emission credit transactions resulting from the implementation of the European Union's Emissions Trading System.
Exploration and Production
We advise clients on exploration and production transactions involving the financing, development, production, transportation and delivery of oil and natural gas throughout the world.
Transportation and Processing
We advise global and domestic clients on the transportation, storage, and processing of natural gas and liquefied natural gas. This includes the purchase and sale of natural gas pipelines, gas gathering and processing facilities, LNG processing and transportation, and underground natural gas storage facilities.
Electricity
Members of our Electricity Practice Group have played a significant role in the restructuring of the electrical industry in Alberta - the first province in Canada to embark on deregulation of the industry. We have been involved in numerous Canadian and international electrical and cogeneration projects, from the grass roots formulation and structuring of projects - to the financing, development, acquisition and disposition of the projects and/or interests in them. We have advised electricity generators, fuel suppliers, lenders and project owners, and represented parties in the structuring of joint venture arrangements among project owners.
Taxation and Royalty
Our taxation and royalty experience is substantial. We have provided legal advice to an offshore consortium on Canadian income tax matters (including CCA classification) and represented a provincial government in drafting and negotiating a royalty regime for offshore gas production. Our lawyers have assisted clients in various flow-through share arrangements, as well as advising oil and gas-based and other income trusts regarding income tax, corporate finance, acquisition and reorganization issues. We have also advised clients with respect to the tax implications of various cross-border commodity, interest rate and currency swap transactions.
LNG
Our lawyers have significant experience advising Canadian and international governments on natural gas and LNG transactions and joint ventures. We have overseen operations issues, facilities issues, purchase and sale agreements and decommissioning obligations. We have negotiated and drafted confidentiality agreements, dispute resolution mechanisms and security trust agreements. Our lawyers have negotiated with various long-term LNG buyers. Our work in this area includes drafting SPAs and negotiating price and price review mechanisms, diversion rights, competition issues, delivery and payment terms, payment security issues, choice of law and payment security (Guarantee) matters.