Chad M. Smith, P.C.
Overview
Chad M. Smith is a corporate partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Chad’s practice focuses on domestic energy transactions, with an emphasis on acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures in the upstream and midstream sectors. Chad represents clients in connection with a broad range of purchase and sale transactions, including both upstream and midstream oil and gas assets and companies. Chad’s transactional experience also includes advising clients in connection with the formation of joint ventures (both upstream and midstream), farmout and participation agreements to develop oil and gas properties, oil and gas transportation and gathering agreements, natural gas processing and fractionation agreements, crude storage and terminaling agreements and other commercial transactions concerning the development of oil and gas properties.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Kirkland:
- EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) in its $1.25 billion sale of its remaining non-operated natural gas assets in Northeast Pennsylvania to Equinor USA Onshore Properties Inc. and certain of its affiliates
- Permian Resources Corporation (NYSE: PR) in its $817.5 million acquisition of ~29,500 net acres located in Reeves County, Texas and Eddy County, New Mexico in the Delaware Basin, from Occidental (NYSE: OXY)
- Lagoon Operating – Midland LLC in its sale to Deep Blue Midland Basin LLC, a joint venture between Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ: FANG) and Five Point Energy
- Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) in its $22.5 billion all-stock sale to ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP)
- Savage in its acquisition of Texon, a midstream service provider of butane blending and energy marketing services
- EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) in its sale and exchange with Equinor USA Onshore Properties Inc., of an undivided 40% interest in EQT’s non-operated natural gas assets in northeast Pennsylvania, in exchange for $500 million of cash and certain upstream and midstream oil and gas assets from Equinor
- Beacon Offshore Energy in its divestiture of its non-operated interests in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico to GOM 1 Holdings, Inc., an affiliate of O.G. Oil & Gas Limited
- EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) in its $35 billion merger with Equitrans Midstream Corporation (NYSE: ETRN)
- Summit Carbon Solutions in its CO2 capture, transportation and storage arrangement with Valero, as part of the largest proposed carbon capture and storage project in the world
- Summit Carbon Solutions in its carbon capture partnership with POET, connecting the world’s largest biofuel producer with the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project
- Southwestern Energy Co. (NYSE: SWN) in its merger with Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: CHK) to create $24 billion combined company
- TG Natural Resources LLC in its $2.7 billion acquisition of Rockcliff Energy II LLC, an upstream natural gas company focused on the East Texas Haynesville shale
- Maverick Natural Resources in the issuance of $640 million of asset-backed securities secured by Maverick's Western Anadarko Basin producing wells, as part of a master trust
- Quantum Capital Solutions, an affiliate of Quantum Capital Group, in its $300 million commitment to a joint venture with Comstock Resources Inc. (NYSE: CRK) to develop Comstock’s Western Haynesville midstream assets
- Earthstone Energy, Inc. (NYSE: ESTE) and Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NYSE: NOG) in their $1.5 billion Delaware Basin acquisition of oil and gas assets from Novo Oil & Gas Holdings, LLC
- Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NYSE: NOG) in its $162 million acquisition of an undivided stake in certain Delaware Basin oil and gas assets of Forge Energy II Delaware, LLC, in partnership with Vital Energy, Inc.
- Warburg Pincus, as lead investor, in the $320 million line of equity commitment for Viridi Energy, a full-service renewable natural gas (RNG) platform
- Raisa Energy LLC in the issuance of $636 million of asset-backed securities secured by over 9,000 producing oil and gas wells across six states, as part of a master trust
- A private company in the issuance of over $100 million of asset-backed securities secured by operated producing oil and gas wells
- A private company in the issuance of over $200 million of asset-backed securities secured by operated producing oil and gas wells
- Blackstone Energy Partners in its $1.05 billion sale of its 25% interest in the Grand Prix NGL Pipeline to Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE: TRGP)
- Harvest Midstream Company in its acquisition of the Belle Chasse Terminal Facility from Phillips 66
- Riverbend Energy Group in its $1.8 billion divestiture of all of the equity interests in Riverbend Oil & Gas VI, LLC, Riverbend Oil & Gas VI-B, LLC and Riverbend Oil & Gas VIII, LLC to a private buyer
- Colgate Energy Partners III LLC in its $3.9 billion merger of equals with Centennial Resource Development Inc. (NASDAQ: CDEV) to create the largest pure-play E&P in the Delaware Basin
- National Fuel Gas Co. (NYSE:NFG) in the sale of Seneca’s California oil and gas assets to Sentinel Peak Resources California LLC for total consideration between $280 million and $310 million, depending on oil prices, and subject to customary closing adjustments
- Cureton Front Range, a midstream oil and gas company, in its acquisition of a portfolio of midstream assets from Aka Energy Group
- Navitas Midstream Partners Holdings LLC, a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus LLC, in its $3.25 billion sale of its Midland Basin natural gas gathering, treating and processing business to Enterprise Products Partners LP (NYSE: EPD)
- Tailwater Capital, together with its portfolio company, Producers Midstream II, in the acquisition of Midcoast Energy’s Anadarko gathering and processing (G&P) system and a 35% interest in the Texas Express Gathering (TEG) system
- Colgate Energy in its $508 million definitive agreement to acquire certain upstream oil and gas assets from subsidiaries of Occidental
- Alta Resources in the $2.925 billion sale of its upstream and midstream subsidiaries for cash and public stock consideration to EQT Corp.
- The Carlyle Group in the acquisition of a controlling interest in a marine terminal joint venture
- Waterfield Midstream LLC, a provider of water midstream infrastructure solutions in the Permian Basin, in the sale of all of its assets to Stonehill Environmental Partners
- Pinnacle Midstream II, a portfolio company of Energy Spectrum, on its new build Dos Picos Gas Gathering and Compression System in the Midland Basin, anchored by a long-term acreage dedication and gas services agreement with DoublePoint Energy
- Penn Virginia Corporation (NASDAQ:PVAC) in Juniper Capital Advisors, L.P.’s $188 million strategic investment in the company, including $150 million of cash and certain oil and gas assets, in exchange for 59 percent of Penn Virginia’s equity
- LyondellBasell on definitive agreements with Sasol to form a 50/50 polyethylene joint venture through which LyondellBasell acquired 50 percent of select assets in Louisiana for a total consideration of $2 billion
- Blackbuck Resources, a portfolio company of Cresta Fund Management, in its acquisition of Cimarex Energy Co.’s Whites City produced water gathering and disposal infrastructure system in Eddy County, New Mexico and execution of a long-term produced water management agreement with Cimarex that includes a 15-year dedication encompassing more than 40,000 acres
- Castleton Resources LLC in its acquisition of Terryville upstream assets in Northern Louisiana from subsidiaries of Range Resources Corporation for $245 million plus contingent payments tied to future commodity prices
- National Fuel Gas Company and affiliates Seneca Resources Company, LLC, NFG Midstream Covington, LLC and National Fuel Gas Midstream Company, LLC in the approximately $500 million (after closing adjustments) acquisition of upstream and midstream assets located in Pennsylvania from SWEPI LP, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc
- Savage Enterprises, LLC on the formation of Transportation Infrastructure Partners LLC, a joint venture with Ridgewood Infrastructure LLC focused on transportation and logistics infrastructure
- EQT Corporation on its 15-year gas gathering agreement with EQM Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: EQM) covering Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and the associated buyback of 25.3 million of EQT’s shares held in Equitrans Midstream Corporation
- Raisa Energy LLC in a first of its kind transaction involving Raisa’s issuance of asset-backed securities secured by producing oil and gas wells
- Primexx Energy Partners in the sale of their produced water gathering and disposal infrastructure system in the Delaware Basin to WaterBridge Midstream and execution of a long-term produced water management agreement with WaterBridge
- Bison in its acquisition of Gulfport Energy Corporation's water infrastructure in Oklahoma’s SCOOP play and its 15-year agreement to manage Gulfport's water gathering and recycling in Grady, Garvin and Stephens counties
- Revolution II WI Holding Company, LLC, an affiliate of Mountain Capital Partners, LP, in its approximately $201.5 million acquisition of Jones Energy II, Inc. (OTC: JEII) in an all-cash transaction
- QL Capital Partners, LP in its partnership with Devon Energy Corporation to fund gas gathering and compression assets in the Delaware Basin
- Golden Gate Capital and Hillstone Environmental Partners, LLC in the $600 million sale of Hillstone to NGL Energy Partners LP
- Elite Compression Services and its sponsor JDH Capital in the $410 million sale of approximately 430,000 of predominately large-horsepower compression assets to Archrock, Inc., and the $30 million purchase by Harvest Midstream Company of 80,000 active and idle compression horsepower from Archrock, Inc.
- LM Energy (f/k/a Longhorn Midstream) in the formation of a joint venture with an undisclosed producer to construct and develop a crude oil and gas gathering system and associated midstream infrastructure
- 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
- Sentinel Midstream on Texas GulfLink, its proposed Deepwater Crude Oil Export Terminal located near Freeport, Texas and related midstream infrastructure project, which is being financed in partnership with Cresta Fund Management
- Salt Creek Midstream, LLC in its 50/50 joint venture with Noble Midstream Partners LP to provide crude oil gathering and transportation services in the Delaware Basin
- Blackstone Energy Partners in its investment of up to $500 million in Waterfield Midstream, a full-cycle water management and infrastructure services provider focused in the Permian Basin
- A subsidiary of EPIC Midstream Holdings, LP, a company managed by affiliates of Ares Management LLC, in its acquisition of the Robstown NGL fractionation facility and associated pipeline near Corpus Christi, Texas, from Southcross Holdings Borrower LP
- Ascent Resources in its equity investment by Riverstone and the simultaneous acquisition of Utica Shale assets from Salt Fork Resources, a Riverstone-backed company
Prior to joining Kirkland:
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A fund managed by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners in its $1.75 billion acquisition of Brazos Midstream
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A subsidiary of Hess Infrastructure Partners in a joint venture with Targa Resources to develop gas processing facilities in North Dakota
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Hess Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries in its $600 million divestiture of operated enhanced oil recovery (EOR) assets in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico to a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corporation
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Stone Energy Corporation in its $527 million divestiture of Marcellus and Utica Shale assets to EQT Production Company as part of a bankruptcy auction
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Apollo Global Management LLC in its formation of a $450 million drilling partnership with EP Energy to develop domestic unconventional resources in the Wolfcamp
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Rock Oil Holdings LLC, a Riverstone portfolio company, in its $980 million divestiture of Midland Basin assets to SM Energy Co.
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Veritas Energy Partners Holdings LLC, a portfolio company of Post Oak Energy Capital, LP, in its merger with Double Eagle Lone Star LLC to form one of the largest pure play E&P companies focused on the Permian’s Midland Basin
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A PE-backed oil and gas company in its divestiture of oil and gas properties in the Eagle Ford Shale in two related transactions for approximately $800 million
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A subsidiary of QEP Resources, Inc. in its $600 million acquisition of Midland Basin oil and gas properties from a consortium of private sellers
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Covey Park Energy LLC in its $420 million acquisition of Haynesville and Bossier Shale assets from EP Energy Corporation
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Rock Oil Holdings LLC in its $281 million acquisition of Midland Basin assets from Linn Energy
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PetroQuest Energy, Inc. in its $280 million divestiture of Woodford and Mississippian Lime assets to an affiliate of NextEra Energy
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Public E&P company in its formation of a drilling partnership with an utility company affiliate
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A PE-backed portfolio company in its $150 million acquisition of SCOOP assets and its related joint venture with another PE-backed company to jointly develop such assets
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EXCO Resources, Inc. with its $118.75 million sale of its interests in Compass Production Partners, LP and Compass Production GP, LLC to an affiliate of Harbinger Group, Inc.
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Private company in connection with the formation of a joint venture to explore and develop 115,000 net mineral acres of tribal lands in Montana
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Private company in its $134 million divestiture of Midland Basin assets to public company
Prior Experience
Latham & Watkins LLP
Kelly, Hart & Hallman LLP
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
Moderator, Buying In: The Non-op Perspective, A&D Strategies & Opportunities Conference (October 2024)
Moderator, Asset Backed Securitizations – Structured Debt in A Shrinking RBL Bank Market, IPAA Private Capital Conference (January 2024)
Presenter, ABS Structure for Minerals, World Oilman's Mineral & Royalty Conference (April 2023)
Presenter, Recent Trends in Midstream Oil and Gas Joint Ventures, Webinar (January 2019)
Midstream Joint Ventures: Common Structures, Issues and Pitfalls in the Midstream Space, 13th Annual Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law Symposium (February 2018)
Recognition
Recognized as Up and Coming for Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) (USA) by Chambers Global, 2023–2024
Recognized as Up and Coming for Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) (USA - Nationwide) by Chambers USA, 2022–2023
Recognized for Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas by The Legal 500 United States, 2019–2021 & 2023–2024
Memberships & Affiliations
Houston Bar Association — Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2011Texas
Education
- University of Texas at Austin School of LawJ.D.2010Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law, Editor-in-Chief (2010–2011)
- University of Texas at AustinB.A., Philosophy & Government2008