Energy Attorneys: On the Front Line of Exploration and Production Issues

West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas in the Appalachian Basin are at the forefront of exploration and production of domestic energy in the United States. Both states are top producers.

Image of an underground coal mine, possibly abandoned due to legal problems that could have been solved or avoided by energy attorneys from Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC who work together with the firm’s real estate and litigation attorneys to meet every need of energy industry client.

In 2016, West Virginia ranked fifth in energy production, Pennsylvania ranked second
In 2017, West Virginia ranked second and Pennsylvania ranked third in domestic coal producer
In 2017, West Virginia was number seven in domestic natural gas production and Pennsylvania was the second largest producer
In 2017, 93 percent of West Virginia’s electricity was produced in coal-fired electric power plants, and Pennsylvania ranked second in electricity production from nuclear power plants
Ohio is ranks eighth domestic ethanol production and both Ohio and Kentucky are home to major oil refineries

Businesses working in these and other areas of energy exploration and production face unique legal challenges. In order to assist clients in the energy industry, the energy attorneys at Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC stay on the cutting edge of the statutory, environmental, transactional, title, and litigation issues affecting the energy industry in the Appalachian Basin.

Energy Attorneys Taking the Lead

The energy attorneys at Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC are experienced with the issues facing energy-oriented businesses seeking to discover and produce coal, oil, and gas in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky. The regulatory environment is changing, and the United States is taking an aggressive role in energy production, according to US Department of Energy news. Energy companies should be poised to take advantage of these changes and leverage their expertise in exploration, production, marketing and sales. Don’t let your energy-oriented business be left behind: consult with experienced energy attorneys on how to best take advantage of business entity structures, to comply with labor and occupational safety issues, and to prosecute or defend energy litigation.

Energy Issues Reach Lending, Real Estate, Construction, and Other Industries

Energy attorneys focus not only on exploration and production but also in assisting with structuring your business, taking advantage of tax breaks, and forming real estate deals. An energy attorney can assist energy-related companies in real estate acquisition and due diligence while taking advantage of potential condemnation opportunities, lending and construction issues, and environmental compliance matters. The attorneys at Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC have a broad spectrum of legal expertise and can assist the energy industry in various ways.

The Multiple Legal Disciplines at Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC Serve the Energy Industry

Though it would be convenient, no single lawyer can wholly serve an energy client. The wide variety of energy and environmental laws, from West Virginia’s new Cotenancy and Modernization Act to Pennsylvania’s pooling legislation and the multitude of legal issues presented by an energy-related business, demand a team of attorneys with expertise in relevant areas of law. Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC has a team of lawyers in place ready to assist your energy business with real estate issues, due diligence, abstracting, environmental issues, labor and employment concerns, energy contracts, and litigation.

Informed Guidance on Mineral Interests, Permits, Subsurface Mining, Oil and Gas Leases

The energy industry is faced with some of the most complex real property issues in America: fractional interests, subsurface interests, participating interests, leases, reversions, title busts, royalty disputes—the list goes on and on. Lawyers with expertise in title, commercial real estate, and financing assist our energy team with advice and representation in separating out the different legal problems and protecting developers and owners. The real estate team can assist energy businesses with acquiring the real estate interest they need. Mining permits and rezoning issues may also present tough legal problems our real estate attorneys and energy attorneys can solve together.

Structuring Your Energy Business Entities for Maximum Protection and Advantage

Many energy businesses separate their different functions and projects by separate business entities, facilitating organization and protection. Energy projects requiring multiple investors are often structured as limited partnerships. Lawyers practicing in the corporate governance and business entities area can assist the energy legal team with tax and regulation matters, corporate structures, and other decisions that make sense for your business needs.

Compliance with Wage and Hour Laws, Safety Regulations, and Workers’ Compensation

According to a report from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there were 823 on-the-job fatalities of oil and gas extraction workers from 2003 to 2010. That is a casualty rate seven times higher than the rate for all U.S. industries. The energy industry has specialized requirements for labor and safety. Our knowledgeable labor and employment attorneys support and advise energy-related businesses on wage and hour issues, immigration issues, OSHA regulations and best practices, and workers’ compensation requirements.

Energy Attorneys with a Legal Support Team Tackle Specialized Energy Industry Legal Problems

An energy attorney assists companies engaged in oil, gas, and coal development, production, and transportation in complying with multiple federal and state regulations. Thorny legal issues of environmental regulation, financial structuring, taxation, title, and real estate interests require an experienced energy legal team with access to expertise in real estate, tax, title, and business advice.

The energy attorneys at Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC provide representation for clients in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Ohio, backed by more than 90 years of legal experience. Compete our online contact form or call Attorney Allison J. Farrell in the firm's Clarksburg, West Virginia office at (304) 399-9763 (or (866) 617-4736 toll free) to discuss your energy-related legal needs.