Pipeline Disputes

Houston Pipeline and Storage Dispute Lawyers

Robert Burford, an experienced oil and gas lawyer at Burford Perry LLP, has represented some of the country’s most prominent energy and pipeline companies in pipelines and storage disputes in Houston and beyond. For a combined 55 years, our attorneys have handled complex transactions, interconnection agreements, disputes, regulatory matters, and more for pipeline industry clients.

While there are many steps in the production of energy, two of the most crucial are the movement of resources through pipelines and storage in special facilities. Many disputes can arise during this process that can bring production to a halt.

How Disputes Arise

The development of oil and gas pipelines and storage facilities always involves several parties and companies. There are strict regulations in place to guide the transportation and storage of petroleum products that make for complicated disputes.

The most common pipeline and storage disputes include:

• Eminent domain proceedings – Eminent domain refers to the legal right of the government or other approved companies to take private property for public use, including the development of pipelines and storage facilities. When oil and gas companies take property without compensation, the landowner may have a claim for inverse condemnation. See City of Houston v. Trail Enters., Inc., 377 S.W.3d 873, 878 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2012, pet. denied).
• Right-of-way agreements – When an oil and gas company wants to lay pipeline through privately owned land, it may enter into a right-of-way agreement. This agreement gives oil and gas companies the right to install, operate, maintain, and protect pipelines on a very specific piece of land. Disputes can arise over the negotiation and interpretation of right-of-way agreements.
• Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Contracts 
 These contracts establish the relationship between an oil and gas company and an independent contractor when completing a large-scale project. Disputes often arise over the terms and costs of the EPC and the project.
• Transportation Agreements – Oil and gas companies often rely on other businesses to help transport tools, machinery, and extracted resources required at oil and gas facilities. When one party fails to uphold the terms written in the agreement, the failurescan jeopardize the entire venture.

Resolving Pipeline and Storage Disputes

Pipeline and storage disputes can arise between an oil and gas company and a number of other parties like landowners, contractors, other companies, and government agencies, among others. Because of the complexities of oil and gas regulations and contracts, resolving pipeline and storage disputes is not an easy matter. An experienced pipeline and storage dispute attorney will carefully analyze the situation and all relevant contracts and determine the best course of action.

Sometimes pipeline and storage disputes can be resolved through negotiations. Other times, contracts state all disputes must be resolved through arbitration. Finally, some disputes can only be resolved through court proceedings. Burford Perry LLP attorneys have experience in all three forums.

Houston Pipeline and Storage Dispute Lawyer Protecting Your Best Interests

There is no single way to resolve pipeline and storage disputes. To determine how to proceed in a cost-effective way while still protecting your interests, you need an experienced oil and gas lawyer. At Burford Perry LLP, our lawyers work to aggressively protect the best interests of our clients.