Justin T. Stolte is a partner in the Houston office of Latham & Watkins and serves as Global Chair of the firm’s Energy & Infrastructure Industry Group. Mr. Stolte advises clients on strategic transactions across the energy sector, including:
- Mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures
- Joint ventures
- Private equity investments and general corporate transactions
Mr. Stolte has significant experience in several sectors of the energy industry, having previously worked in business development, commercial, and engineering roles at Apache Corporation and Chevron Corporation. Before joining Latham, he served as Co-Chair of the energy practice group at another leading global law firm.
Mr. Stolte is recognized by Best Lawyers in America (2021), Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2014, 2019-2020), and The Legal 500 US (2018-2020) for his work on energy transactions. In addition, he was named an Influencer: Law by American City Business Journal in 2018 and has been recognized as a Rising Star in Energy by Law360 (2014, 2018); a 40 under 40 honoree by Houston Business Journal (2018); a Top 30 under 40 honoree by Hart Energy (2018); and a Rising Star by Texas Monthly (2012-2015).
Mr. Stolte is a frequent speaker and author on trends in the energy industry, particularly in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and other energy transactions. He serves on the Advisory Committee for The Institute for Energy Law and the Executive Advisory Council of UT Austin’s McCombs Energy Initiative (MEI).
Mr. Stolte’s experience includes advising:
- Chisholm Energy, LLC – multi-well farmout and joint development arrangement with an undisclosed E&P company involving Permian Basin assets
- Bruin E&P Partners, LLC – consenting stakeholder in a comprehensive restructuring of Bruin
- Sabine Oil & Gas Corp. – midstream joint venture with Align Midstream Partners II, LLC for the completion of the TOPS Pipeline
- Midcoast Energy, LLC – strategic financing transaction for the development of the CJ Express Pipeline
- Carnelian Energy Capital – divestiture of Eagle Ford assets to a public E&P for an undisclosed purchase price
- ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC – (1) US$1 billion recapitalization transaction involving a preferred equity investment and new term loan facility for a portfolio company and (2) US$1.1 billion acquisition of Midcoast Operating, L.P from Enbridge Inc.*
- SK Innovation – (1) US$1.1 billion divestiture of Blocks 56 and 88 located in Peru to Pluspetrol Corporation and (2) US$453 million acquisition of Longfellow Nemaha, LLC*
- Repsol E&P USA Inc. – (1) alignment transaction and multi-billion dollar development arrangements with Oil Search (Alaska) for the Nanushuk Field in Alaska’s North Slope and (2) asset exchange transaction and joint development arrangement with LLOG Exploration involving several deep-water blocks in the Gulf of Mexico*
- Third Coast Midstream – acquisition of midstream assets from Southcross Energy in a 363 sale*
- Private equity fund – proposed acquisition of ethanol plants located in Nebraska and Iowa*
- Private company – acquisition of crude terminalling and storage business located in Alaska*
- Summit Midstream Partners, LP – “Double E” midstream joint venture to develop a common-carrier pipeline from the Delaware Basin to the Waha Hub*
- Marathon Oil Corp. – US$140 million divestiture of North Sea businesses to Rockrose Energy Plc.*
- Concho Resources Inc. – (1) “Beta Crude Connector” midstream joint venture with Frontier Midstream to develop a gathering and transportation system in the Permian Basin and (2) US$600 million acquisition of Permian Basin assets from Occidental Petroleum *
- Rosehill Resources Inc. – acreage exchange and multi-well farmout transaction involving Permian Basin assets*
- EnCap Flatrock Midstream (Lotus Midstream, LLC) – “Wink to Webster” midstream joint venture with ExxonMobil and Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. to develop a common-carrier pipeline system from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast*
- Penn Virginia Corporation – (1) US$1.7 billion proposed merger with Denbury Resources Inc., (2) US$86 million acquisition of Eagle Ford assets from Hunt Oil, and (3) US$205 million acquisition of Eagle Ford assets from Devon Energy Corporation*
- Encino Acquisition Partners, LLC (CPPIB) – US$2 billion acquisition of Utica Shale business from Chesapeake Energy Corporation*
- Private equity fund – US$400 million drilling joint venture to develop producing and non-producing assets located in Kern County, California*
- EnerVest, Ltd. – US$2.7 billion business combination of EnerVest’s South Texas Division with TPG Pace Energy Holdings to form Magnolia Oil and Gas Corporation*
- Chisholm Energy, LLC – series of acquisitions of upstream assets located in the Permian Basin*
- Private equity fund – equity investment in a joint venture company to develop a 3.0 gigawatt LNG-fueled power plant located in Vietnam*
- Sempra Energy, Inc. – proposed “P2K” midstream joint venture with Boardwalk Pipeline Partners to develop a pipeline project from the Permian Basin to Katy and the Houston Ship Channel*
- Arsenal Resources – produced water joint venture with undisclosed third party to develop water infrastructure businesses for Utica upstream assets*
- Enduring Resources, LLC – US$300 million acquisition of San Juan Basin assets from Chevron Corporation*
- Independent E&P company – (1) US$391 million divestiture of equity interests in an ammonia fertilizer plant located in Western Australia and (2) several transactions involving LNG and midstream assets with an aggregate transaction value in excess of US$6 billion*
- Dominion Resources – several transactions involving Marcellus and Utica assets for an aggregate transaction value in excess of US$3.8 billion*
*Matter handled prior to joining Latham