Jonathan Ayre

Jonathan Ayre represents energy, oil and gas, power generation, 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 energy, oil and gas, power generation, and chemicals industries.  

• Engagements

  Energy Project Development - Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contracts

  • STP Nuclear Operating Company as agent for the owners in the drafting and negotiation of an over-$10 billion engineering, procurement and construction contract for the construction of two new nuclear reactors adjacent to an existing nuclear power plant in South Texas.
  • A construction contractor in connection with the front-end engineering and design agreement and EPC contract for the construction of a landfill waste to power generation project for a municipal solid waste disposal authority.
  • A joint venture entity developing a major polyethylene terephthalate (polyester) manufacturing facility in connection with agreements with its construction manager and various procurement and commercial matters.
  • A U.K.-based energy company in the drafting and negotiation of an EPC contract for an Australia-based LNG export project.
  • A nuclear waste transportation and disposal company in connection with the drafting and negotiation of a decommissioning agreement and related agreements for the decommissioning of a nuclear power generation facility.
  • A chemical manufacturing company with facilities in Texas and Kentucky in connection with construction, procurement, and commercial contracting matters.
  • A major energy company in the drafting and negotiation of an EPC contract for an LNG export project in Louisiana.

  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.
  • The portfolio company of the Middle Eastern private equity fund in its investment in a gas storage project in Texas.
  • 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 with a Fortune 50 company's pension fund targeting upstream and midstream oil and gas assets.
  • 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 non-operated oil and gas wellbore interests of Raisa Energy.
  • The note purchasers in the securitization of operated oil and gas wellbore interests of Diversified Gas & Oil.
  • A market leading reserve based lending bank as administrative agent in connection with the bankruptcy of Legacy Reserves.
  • A market leading reserve based lending bank as administrative agent in connection with the out of court restructuring of an upstream oil and gas company.
  • A market leading reserve based lending bank 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.

  Power Generation

  • A joint venture of seven nuclear power plant operators in the formation of a jointly-owned entity, investments in the entity and related corporate and commercial agreements.
  • A Middle Eastern private equity fund in the acquisition, financing, and subsequent recapitalization of an 800-MW power-generation facility in Bosque, Texas.
  • The portfolio company of the Middle Eastern private equity fund in the negotiation of a power hedge agreement, tax abatement proceedings and project development matters.

  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.