Jonathan Ayre

Jonathan Ayre represents oil and gas and chemical industry companies and their investors in acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, project development, financing and restructuring transactions. His practice includes the formation of private equity-backed entities investing in the oil and gas and chemicals industries.

• Engagements

  Upstream and Midstream Oil and Gas and Private Equity

  • A supermajor in a $2.2 billion acquisition and joint venture of Barnett shale assets.
  • The management of Vine Oil and Gas in multiple joint ventures with The Blackstone Group targeting U.S. operated working interests, mineral interests and other upstream assets.
  • A private equity-backed Texas oil and gas company in an acquisition and acreage exchange for an operated interest in the Permian Basin.
  • A supermajor in a $1.2 billion disposition of its interest in a Gulf Coast pipeline.
  • Providence Energy in a joint venture large pension fund’s targeting upstream oil and gas interests.
  • A U.K.-based energy company in a $1.3 billion acquisition and joint venture of Haynesville shale assets.
  • Alta Resources Development in a joint venture with its equity sponsors targeting upstream oil and gas assets.
  • Japan-based company Mitsui & Co., Ltd., in negotiation of agreements for a $680 million acquisition and joint venture of Eagle Ford shale assets.
  • A private equity fund in its acquisition of Permian and Eagle Ford upstream oil and gas assets.
  • An independent oil and gas exploration and production company in its acquisition of East Texas oil and gas properties.
  • A U.K.-based energy company in the unitization of the Lula Field, one of the world's largest oil fields, offshore Brazil.
  • A Japan-based energy company in the formation of and corporate governance matters relating to its U.S. gas marketing subsidiary and related midstream agreements.

  Restructuring and Structured Finance

  • The note purchasers in the first-of-a-kind securitization of oil and gas wellbore interests from a private-equity backed upstream oil and gas company.
  • Wells Fargo as administrative agent in connection with the bankruptcy and restructuring of an upstream oil and gas company.
  • Wells Fargo as administrative agent in connection with the out of court restructuring of an upstream oil and gas company.
  • Wells Fargo as secured lender in connection with the issuance of notes in a distressed upstream oil and gas company.

  Downstream Oil and Gas and Petrochemicals

  • NOVA Chemicals Corporation in its $2.1 billion acquisition from The Williams Companies of their interests in an ethane cracker in Geismar, Louisiana and the Mont Belvieu storage hub.
  • Subsidiaries of NOVA Chemicals Corporation and Borealis AG in their Texas joint venture with Total Petrochemicals and Refining USA, Inc. with respect to two existing polyethylene facilities, an under-construction ethane cracker and a development stage Borstar polyethylene facility.

  Oilfield Services and Equipment

  • A major international oilfield services company in an acquisition of the assets of an oilfield technology company.
  • A leading oil and gas equipment distributor in connection with numerous purchase, sale and license agreements.
  • A major international oilfield services company in connection with its disposition of equity interests in a technology company servicing upstream energy companies.
  • A closely-held company in its acquisition of option rights to purchase intellectual property with applications in upstream oil and gas production.

  Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contracts - LNG

  • A U.K.-based energy company in the drafting and negotiation of an EPC contract for an Australia-based LNG export project.
  • A major energy company in the drafting and negotiation of an EPC contract for an LNG export project in Louisiana