Carlos A. Moran
Overview
Carlos A. Moran is a corporate associate in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. His practice focuses on acquisitions, divestitures and formation of joint ventures involving energy assets in the U.S. and Latin America. Carlos is also actively involved in the Firm's pro bono work.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Kirkland, Carlos’ representative transactions have included:
- Represented EQT Corp. (NYSE: EQT) in its $735 million acquisition of Chevron USA’s upstream and midstream assets in the Appalachian Basin.
- Represented the lenders, led by Investec Bank, on the $1.075 billion financing for the development of the 1,875 megawatt Guernsey natural-gas-fueled power generation facility in Ohio.
- Represented Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) in its $3.2 billion acquisition of Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRZO).
- Represented Ensign Natural Resources LLC/Warburg Pincus in its acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc.’s (NYSE:PXD) Eagle Ford Shale assets, including approximately 59,000 net acres and 14,400 net boepd.
- Represented Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. in its acquisition of properties in the Williston Basin from VEN Bakken, LLC for $165 million in cash, a $130 million 6 percent three-year senior unsecured note and approximately 5.6 million shares of common stock.
- Represented Parker Drilling Company and certain of its affiliates in its prearranged Chapter 11 restructuring in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
- Represented Amplify Energy Corp. in an all-stock merger-of-equals with Midstates Petroleum Company, Inc.
- Represented BCE-Mach LLC in the acquisition of Repsol E&P USA Inc.’s producing properties in Oklahoma and Kansas.
Prior to joining Kirkland, Carlos’ representative transactions included:
Oil & Gas
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Represented a NYSE-listed deep-water drilling company in the negotiations and execution of several jack-up rig lease agreements with Pemex. Aggregate deal value $1.6 billion.
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Represented an FPSO owner and operator in their negotiations with Pemex regarding the proposed design, engineering, conversion, installation, delivery, and 10-year operation and maintenance of a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit. Deal value $1.2 billion.
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Represented a British independent engineering company and a US management services company in the negotiation of a joint venture agreement with two other Mexican companies, and in the subsequent awarding of a US$1.4 billion long-term Pemex contract to repair, maintain and manage a set of undersea pipelines, a group of off-shore facilities and an on-shore storage complex.
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Represented an international oil major in being awarded multiple contracts for the sale of LNG to Pemex and/or CFE.
Corporate and M&A
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Represented an international electronics and appliances manufacturer in the acquisition of a TV manufacturing plant in Rosarito, Mexico–including obtaining merger control clearance from the Mexican Federal Competition Commission (COFECE).
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Represented a major player in global manufacturing for the automotive industry in its proposed acquisition of a US$40 million Mexican foundry–including obtaining merger control clearance from the Mexican Federal Competition Commission (COFECE).
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Represented a global commodities trading company in the proposed acquisition of one of the largest asphalt distributors in Mexico.
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Represented a global commodities trading company in its proposed acquisition of a port facility in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Represented a Houston-based drilling services company in the sale of all the stock of its US holding company to a TSX-listed oilfield services company. The transaction meant the acquisition of 6 recently constructed on-shore drilling rigs and their ongoing operations in Mexico.
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Represented a German company in the sale of a wind power project in Oaxaca, Mexico to a Spanish company.
Finance
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Represented a global commodities trading company in the financing of purchases of metal concentrates in Mexico. Aggregate deal value US$500 million.
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Represented an international commodities trader in various syndicated loans and revolving credit facilities secured by real estate and inventories in Mexico.
Infrastructure
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Represented a NASDAQ-listed technology company in a $50 million sale of highly advanced electronic systems to a Mexican federal agency.
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Represented a supplier of automated people movers in its successful bid to install a €52 million 3km-long cable-liner shuttle system at Mexico City's airport.
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Represented one of the largest private sector airport concession operators in the public procurement procedure for the design, construction and operation of an international airport in the Mayan Riviera.
Prior Experience
Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann L.L.C., Houston
Goodrich Riquelme y Asociados, Mexico City
Hill Dickinson LLP, London
More
Thought Leadership
Publications
Co-author, The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Oil & Gas Regulation, Chapter: Argentina, Global Legal Group Ltd, London, 2016–2018 editions
Co-author, Pemex's Contracting Regime After the Energy Reform, OGEL, 2016
Co-author, The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Oil & Gas Regulation, Chapter: Developments in the North American Energy Sector, Global Legal Group Ltd, London, 2015–2018 editions
Co-author, The new Pemex procurement rules: a 180° change of mindset / Las nuevas disposiciones de contratación de PEMEX: Un cambio de mentalidad de 180°, Newsletter, US-Mexico Bar Association, August 2015
Co-author, Responsabilidad por Daños Causados por Fugas de Hidrocarburos en las Zonas Marinas de México: La Urgencia de Crear un Fondo Catastrófico para Accidentes Petroleros Costa Afuera (Liability for Damages by Oil Leakages in Mexican Maritime Zones: The Need to Create a Catastrophic Fund for Offshore Oil Accidents), Publication on the occasion of the 76th Anniversary of the Expropriation of the Oil Sector, coordinated by Pemex’s General Counsel, December 2014
Author, Updated timeline for the Mexican Energy Reform, The Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 8, No. 4, Institute for Energy Law, September 2014
Co-author, Mexican Oil and Gas Reform: Getting It Right This Time, ABA Energy Litigation E-Newsletter, Spring 2014, Vol. 13, No. 3, May 2014
Author, Believe it or not: Mexico finally opens up its oil industry, The Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 8, No. 1, Institute for Energy Law, February 2014
Author, The proposal to amend PEMEX’s tax regime – Is it a good indication of how IOCs will be taxed when Mexico opens up to private investment in the oil sector?, The Energy Law Advisor, Vol. 7, No. 4, Institute for Energy Law, December 2013
Interview, Por qué hay que unirse a la AIJA (Why to join AIJA)?, El Mundo del Abogado (Lawyer’s World magazine), Vol. 15, No. 172, Mexico, August 2013
Author, The legal treatment of vessels and offshore installations under the Mexican foreign investment and navigation frameworks, Newsletter of the Maritime and Transport Law Committee of the Legal Practice Division of the International Bar Association Vol. 9, No. 1, International Bar Association, London, UK, May 2013
Interview, Las ventajas de ser miembro de la AIJA (The advantages of being a member of AIJA), El Mundo del Abogado (Lawyer’s World magazine), Vol. 15, No. 166, Mexico, February 2013
Co-author, The future of renewable energy in Mexico, Global Energy Review, October 2012
Commentary, Is Mexico Prepared for Deepwater Drilling in the Gulf?, Inter-American Dialogue’s weekly Energy Advisor newsletter, March 2012
Co-author, The new Mexican Law on Public-Private Partnerships, Latin American Regional Forum Newsletter of the International Bar Association Legal Practice Division, Vol. 5, No. 1, March 2012
Co-author, Investment and Financing Opportunities in the Mexican Mining Sector, Latin American Regional Forum Newsletter of the International Bar Association Legal Practice Division, October 2011
Author, La nueva ley anticorrupción del Reino Unido (The New UK Bribery Act), Petróleo & Energía (Oil & Energy magazine), Vol. 8, No. 153, Mexico, June 2011
Co-author, The New Pemex E&P Risk Service Contracts, The Energy Law Advisor, Institute for Energy Law, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2011
Co-author, Predicar con el ejemplo: El TLCAN y la inversion en el autotransporte de pasajeros (Preaching by example: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and investment in the bus services sector), Abogado Corporativo (Corporate Lawyer magazine), Mexico, November-December 2010
Co-author, Getting the Deal Through — Shipping, Chapter: Mexico, International Bar Association, 2009
Seminars
Moderator, Fireside chat with Mexican Energy Regulatory Commissioner Guillermo Zúñiga, American Conference Institute’s 14th National Forum on Energy Trading Compliance & Regulatory Enforcement, Houston, January 12, 2018
Moderator of the panel Mexico Energy Reform: Prospects and Challenges, Women’s Energy Network Annual Conference 2017, Houston, April 27, 2017
Speaker in the panel Key Environmental and Maritime Issues in Offshore Oil & Gas Projects, 4th IEL-ANADE Conference, The New Energy Legal Framework in Mexico: Lessons Learned and the Way Forward, Mexico City, August 26, 2016
Speaker in the legal panel (speaking on the liberalization of the Mexican fuel market), ONEXPO 2016 (convention of the confederation of associations of gas station owners), Mexico City, June 10, 2016
Speaker, II ANADE Regional Seminar – Ensenada 2015, presentation on the new oil and gas legal framework in Mexico, Ensenada, Mexico, September 2015
Speaker in the panel Effectively Navigating the Legal Framework & Opportunities for Improvement, Mexico Oil & Gas Summit 2015 – organized by Mexico Business Events, Mexico City, July 22, 2015
Speaker, presentation on the Mexican oil and gas reform, Meeting of the Houston-Mexico Energy Group, Houston, January 2015
Speaker in the pre-conference workshop, presentation entitled: Exploring the environmental liabilities in contracts in Mexico and potential scenarios, LatAm Contract Risk Management Summit for Oil and Gas – organized by Hanson Wade, Houston, December 2014
Moderator of the panel Analysis and discussion of the new hydrocarbons regime and its contractual models, Investment Opportunities for Oil Companies – Its regulatory framework, as well as its tax and international trade implications – seminar organized by ANADE, Mexico City, October 2014
Debater, Shale Gas vs. Liquefied Natural Gas – who wins and why?, Energy Debate Series – organized by the Australia, New Zealand and Mexico Business Council (ANZMEX), Mexico City, June 24, 2014
Speaker, presentation on the Mexican oil and gas reform, Meeting of the Houston-Mexico Energy Group, Houston, May 2014
Speaker in the panel Nuts and bolts of Mexico’s Apertura, 3rd IEL-ANADE conference, La Reforma – Mexico Enters the Global Oil and Gas Market, Houston, May 1–2, 2014
Speaker in the panel Bid-Rigging, Corruption and Antitrust – Are you sure your company is not involved?, AIJA Annual Congress, Buenos Aires, September 2013
Speaker in the panel Investing in Strategic Areas: Mining, Oil and Gas – Mining after years without regulation: new understanding of cleaner technologies, environmental protection – Overview of changes and barriers, which are of legislative, technologic, and economic nature, AIJA Pre-Congress Seminar, Buenos Aires, September 2013
Conference’s closing remarks and moderator of the panel Protecting assets in deep seas; understanding the offshore legal requirements and insurance options, Offshore platforms, rigs, ships & boats –‘things that float’– challenges to extract oil & gas from deep seas in the Gulf of Mexico – conference organized by The British Chamber of Commerce (Britcham), in collaboration with ANZMEX, the World Energy Council, the European Chambers and ANADE, Mexico City, May 2013
Speaker in the panel Recent Legislative Developments in Mexico in the Project Finance Arena in Mexico, 3rd Annual Project Finance Conference – organized by Latin Lawyer magazine, Mexico City, October 2012
Conference Co-Chair, 2nd IEL-ANADE conference, The Future of Renewable Energy in Mexico, Mexico City, May 2012
Speaker, Overview of the legal aspects of entering and operating in Mexico, Doing business in Latin America – Brazil and Mexico – seminar organized by chartered accountants Campbell Dallas LLP with the support of Scottish Development International and UK Trade and Investment, Aberdeen, UK, March 22, 2011
Speaker at the panel: Multimodal transportation and legal pitfalls case study, Full Speed Ahead: Recent challenges and solutions for the shipping industry – conference presented by the IBA Maritime and Transport Law Committee and AIJA Transport Law Commission, Istanbul, Turkey, November 4–6, 2010
Moderator at the panel Important Aspects on National Content, Contractual schemes in the oil industry: International Experience and its implementation in Mexico – conference by ANADE, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Mexico and the Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry (CMCI), Mexico City, September 9–10, 2010
Moderator of the panel Pemex’s Corporate Governance: Strengthening its Operational Structure, 1st IEL-ANADE conference, International Conference on Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas in Mexico: The New Contractual Regime, Mexico City, April 15, 2010
Speaker, presentation on Pemex Exploration and Production New Contracting Regime, Energy Trade Mission to Alberta–Chamber of the Americas, Ports to Plains Alliance and the Alberta Ministry of International and Intergovernmental Relations, Calgary, March 18, 2010
Speaker, presentation on Legal Framework: Doing Business in Mexico, Energy trade Mission to Mexico–Scottish Development International, Mexico City, February 22, 2010
Speaker, Legal framework for foreign companies in Mexico, Seminar on Operating and Manufacturing for the Oil Industry in Mexico – organized by Proméxico, Pemex, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mexican Association of Petroleum Services Companies (AMESPAC), Amsterdam, November 6, 2009
Speaker, NAFTA Cross-Border Transportation Update, Annual Meeting of the Transportation Lawyers Association, San Diego, California, May 1st, 2009
Speaker at the Salvage Committee Meeting, Salvage of the M/V “APL PANAMA”, Annual Spring Meeting of the Maritime Lawyers Association of the United States, New York City, May 5, 2006
Recognition
Ranked in Chambers Latin America for Energy & Natural Resources (Mexico), 2014
Recognized in Chambers and Partners’ New Faces in Latin America, 2015
Memberships & Affiliations
Association of International Petroleum Negotiators
International Bar Association
State Bar of Texas—International Law Section and Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2017Texas
- 2004Mexico
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Education
- University of Houston Law CenterLL.M., U.S. Law2017
- Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de MéxicoLaw2004
One-year exchange program at Stockholm University
- University of NottinghamLL.M., International Commercial Law2003