Anthony C. Marino
SHAREHOLDER
Practice Areas
Energy Regulatory Practice
Oil & Gas Transactions
Oil & Gas Title Opinions
Successions, Probate & Wills
Real Estate & Zoning
Education
J.D., Loyola University School of Law
(New Orleans), 1985
B.A., University of New Orleans, 1975
Professional Experience
Mr. Marino is a shareholder in the firm and is involved in a wide range of energy related transactions. He concentrates his practice primarily in mineral title examination, the acquisition and disposition of mineral properties, matters relating to the Outer Continental Shelf, energy related financing transactions, and transactions involving the negotiation and performance of exploration, development, operating, and joint venture agreements. He has consulted with energy concerns in oil and gas related commercial litigation. He was formerly with the law firm of Gordon, Arata, McCollam & Duplantis.
Representative Matters
- Representation of an international oil and gas company in connection with its acquisition of over 200 Outer Continental Shelf and deepwater leases located in the Gulf of Mexico in a $2 billion deal.
- Numerous representations of small and large independent oil and gas companies in acquisitions of oil and gas leases located in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf, which became the model for the transition from large independent oil and gas companies to small companies.
- Successful negotiations between small and large independent companies and the Minerals Management Service, Pacific OCS Region, to ensure abandonment and decommissioning liabilities for leases and rights-of-way were addressed and that proper funding to secure such liabilities were established and maintained.
- Advice to and consultation with small and large independents and with federal and state agencies for the decommissioning of platforms for rigs to reef programs.
- Advice to industry with regard to, and supporter of, the Offshore Program of the Minerals Management Service, including serving on the Gulf of Mexico Advisory Focus Group.
- Representation of large and small independents in connection with royalty valuation issues before the Minerals Revenue Management of the Minerals Management Service, the Department of the Interior.
- Representation of large independent oil and gas companies for royalty reduction and royalty relief issues with the Minerals Management Service.
- Representation of small independent oil and gas companies before the Interior Board of Land Appeals concerning suspension of operations (SOO’s), suspension of production (SOP’s), incidents of non-compliance (INC’s), and assessments of civil penalties.
- Representation of small independent oil and gas companies in unitization and pooling matters before the Minerals Management Service in both the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico Regions.
- Negotiations on behalf of large independent oil and gas company regarding re-injection and co-generation facilities in the Pacific OCS Region.
- Representation of lenders in connection with major mezzanine financing of oil and gas properties.
- Representation of operators and non-operators in disputes relating to joint operations, including responsibilities and standards of performance, area-of-mutual interest, consent to assign, and preferential right to purchase and option rights.
- Representation of oil and gas companies in the drafting and negotiation of drilling contracts, farmout and farmin agreements, operating agreements, participation agreements, joint ventures, production handling agreements, platform use agreements, and related contracts.
- Representation of oil and gas companies before the Louisiana State Mineral Board, Office of Mineral Resources, Department of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, and related state agencies.
- Representation of oil and gas companies relating to oil spill financial responsibility compliance with applicable rules and regulations.
- Representation of small and large independent oil and gas companies with mezzanine financing and credit facilities.
- Representation of parties in the preparation of condominium documents, including declaration of condominium regimes, articles of incorporation, by-laws and related organizational documents, and the creation of condominium associations.
- Representation of parties in commercial real estate transactions, including sales and leasing.
- Representation of parties in tax sales and adjudications of real property, including confirmations and quieting title.
- Representation of parties before governmental agencies and bodies concerning zoning and land use matters.
- Representation of parties in the formation of corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies.
- Representation of succession representatives and heirs for the orderly distribution of estate assets.
Selected Publications and Speeches
Mr. Marino has made numerous speeches and presentations on a wide variety of energy related topics to the oil, gas and energy industry and to landmen and lawyers representing energy companies. He has made presentations to such organizations as the American Association of Professional Landmen, the Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans, the Houston Association of Professional Landmen, the West Coast Landmen’s Institute, the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana and Santa Monica, California Chapters, and Gulf States Petroleum Exhibition & Conferences, Inc.
Some of the selected speeches and presentations are as follows:
- Minerals Management Service Update, Presented at PLANO Seminar in July, 1994.
- Ethics: It’s a Good Thing! A Comparative Review of the AAPL Code of Ethics and Legal Ethics Under the Rules of Professional Conduct, Presented at the PLANO 7th Annual Seminar in January, 1996.
- Offshore Drilling and Service Contracts, an in-house presentation to Murphy Exploration & Production Co. on May 5, 1997.
- The Royalty Fairness Act and Other Simple Measures to Reduce Federal Royalty Liability; Oh, What a Relief It Is?, Presented at the West Coast Landmen’s 15th Annual Seminar on May 7-8, 1997.
- Becoming Fluent in Plain English: Understanding the Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Lease Form, Presented at the 30th Annual HAPL Workshop on April 14, 1999.
- Legal Liabilities and Business Structures for Oil and Gas Independents, Presented to the Society of Independent Petroleum Earth Scientists on October 21, 1999.
- Legislative Update on Rigs-to-Reefs, Presented at the 18th Annual West Coast Landman’s Institute on September 27-29, 2000.
- Inadvertent Disclosure and Maintenance of Confidentiality: Ethical Considerations for the Landman and Mineral Lawyer, Presented at PLANO’s Fall Seminar on December 8, 2000.
- A Unique Approach to Surface Restoration and Implied Obligations, Article prepared for the November, 2001 PLANO Newsletter.
- Ethics: A Landman’s Dilemma in Confecting the Deal, Presented at a seminar hosted by PLANO on December 10, 2001.
- Ethics in a Dysfunctional Environment, Presented at the PLANO Fall Seminar on October 15, 2002.
- Current Status of Outer Continental Shelf Issues, Presented at the 20th Annual West Coast Landmen’s Institute on November 7, 2002.
- Law of Servitudes: Legal Issues and Practical Considerations in Louisiana, Presented through Lorman Education Services on November 12, 2002.
- MMS UPDATE: Bonding, Royalty Valuations and Other Monetary Issues, Presented at the 21st Annual West Coast Landman’s Institute on October 10, 2003.
- Deal Formation Issues and Principles of Negotiations in the Oil and Gas Industry, Presented through Lorman Educational Services on March 15, 2004.
- OCS Update, Presented at the 23rd Annual West Coast Landman’s Institute on September 21- 23, 2005.
Awards:
2000 Apex Education Award, presented by the American Association of Professional Landmen.
2005 Corporate Leadership Award, presented by the Minerals Management Service, Pacific OCS-Region.
2005 Education Award, presented by the American Association of Professional Landmen.
Member Organizations
American Bar Association
Louisiana State Bar Association
Energy Bar Association (Board Member 2005-2006)
Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans; Board Member 1999-2000
Houston Producers’ Forum
North Houston Association of Professional Landmen