Sean T. Wheeler, P.C.
Overview
Sean T. Wheeler is a corporate partner who represents public and private companies in their most complex transactions, typically ranging in value from $1 billion to $30 billion. Sean’s experience spans the entire range of M&A activity, including strategic mergers, joint ventures, take-privates and cross-border transactions. He has counseled clients across numerous industries, including energy, infrastructure, healthcare, technology, real estate and travel. According to Deal Point Data, Sean is among the top ten M&A practitioners in the United States for public M&A transactions across all industries and is the top M&A lawyer for these transactions in the energy sector over the past 20 years.
Sean has been recognized in multiple industry publications including Chambers Global, Chambers USA, IFLR1000, Law360, The Legal 500 United States, Texas Lawyer, Texas Monthly and Law and Politics, The Best Lawyers in America and The Am Law Daily. Sean is a frequent speaker on M&A matters.
Experience
Representative Matters
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) in the exchange of certain of its Delaware Basin assets and $238 million in cash for TRP’s Midland Basin assets
- ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE) in its $3.3 billion acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners’ entire interest in EnLink Midstream, LLC (NYSE: ENLC)
- ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE) in its $2.6 billion acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners’ equity interests in Medallion Midstream, LLC
- Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (NYSE: HP) in its $1.9725 billion all-cash acquisition of KCA Deutag International Limited
- Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (NYSE: DO) in its $1.6 billion sale to Noble Corporation plc (NYSE: NE)
- Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) in its $22.5 billion all-stock sale to ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP)
- Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) in its $4.5 billion all-stock sale to APA Corporation (NASDAQ: APA)
- Permian Resources Corporation (NYSE: PR) in its $4.5 billion all-stock acquisition of Earthstone Energy, Inc. (NYSE: ESTE)
- Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET) in its $7.1 billion acquisition of Crestwood Equity Partners LP (NYSE: CEQP)
- NexTier Oilfield Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: NEX) in its $5.4 billion merger of equals with Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTEN)
- ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE) in its $18.8 billion acquisition of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP)
- Ranger Oil Corporation (NASDAQ: ROCC) in its $2.5 billion acquisition by Baytex Energy Corp. (TSX, NYSE: BTE)
- Iconic Sports in its investment in London-based group Eagle Football, which acquired a significant controlling stake in Olympique Lyonnais Groupe SA
- Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) in its acquisition of all leasehold interest and related assets of Lario Permian, LLC and certain associated sellers in exchange for 4.18 million shares of Diamondback common stock and $850 million of cash
- Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) in its acquisition of all leasehold interest and related assets of FireBird Energy in exchange for 5.86 million shares of Diamondback common stock and $775 million of cash
- Bluescape Clean Fuels, LLC, in its definitive business combination agreement with CENAQ Energy Corp., a special purpose acquisition company focused on energy and energy transition
- Höegh LNG Holdings Ltd. in its definitive merger agreement with Höegh LNG Partners LP (NYSE: HMLP) to acquire all of the outstanding publicly held common units of the partnership in a going private transaction
- 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
- Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: WLL) in its $6 billion merger of equals with Oasis Petroleum Inc. (NASDAQ: OAS)
- Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) in its $3.4 billion all-stock merger of equals with Maersk Drilling (CSE: DRLCO)
- HealthCor Catalio Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: HCAQ), a special purpose acquisition company, in its $580 million combination with Hyperfine, Inc., creator of the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared portable magnetic resonance imaging device, Swoop™, and Liminal Sciences, Inc., a medical device development company dedicated to non-invasive measurement of key vital signs in the brain
- Penn Virginia Corp. (NASDAQ: PVAC) in its $370 million merger with Lonestar Resources US Inc. (OTCQX: LONE)
- Ivanhoe Capital Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, in its $3.6 billion combination with SES Holdings Pte. Ltd., a developer and manufacturer of high-performance Hybrid Lithium-Metal (Li-Metal) rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles
- Noble Corporation in its acquisition of Pacific Drilling Co. LLC in an all-stock transaction
- Vector Acquisition Corporation in its $4.1 billion definitive merger agreement with Rocket Lab USA, Inc.
- Conflicts Committee of the Board of Directors of the general partner of TC PipeLines, LP (NYSE: TCP) in its approximately $1.68 billion all-stock acquisition by TC Energy Corporation (NYSE: TRP)
- Maverick Natural Resources in its merger with FourPoint Energy LLC to create Unbridled Resources LLC
- HighPoint Resources Corp. (NYSE: HPR) in its $376 million combination with Bonanza Creek Energy, Inc. (NYSE: BCEI)
- 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
- Brookfield Infrastructure in its $6.9 billion joint venture with Blackstone Infrastructure to acquire a 42% stake in Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: CQP)
- WPX Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WPX) in its $12 billion all-stock merger of equals with Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN)
- Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) in the sale of its North American onshore hydraulic fracturing business to Liberty Oilfield Services Inc. (NYSE: LBRT)
- BJ Services LLC in the sale of its cementing business and fracturing assets in Chapter 11
- Special Committee of the Board of Directors of TerraForm Power, Inc. (NASDAQ: TERP), in its $1.58 billion sale to Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP)
- 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
- Parsley Energy, Inc. (NYSE: PE) in its $2.27 billion all-stock acquisition of Jagged Peak Energy Inc. (NYSE: JAG)
- SemGroup Corp. (NYSE: SEMG) in its approximately $5.1 billion sale to Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET)
- Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) in its $3.2 billion acquisition of Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRZO) in an all-stock transaction
- Newfield Exploration Co. (NYSE: NFX) in its approximately $5.5 billion acquisition by Encana Corp. (TSX, NYSE: ECA) in an all-stock transaction
- Rowan Companies plc (NYSE: RDC) in its $12 billion combination with Ensco plc (NYSE: ESV) in an all-stock transaction
Capital Markets
- Gulfport Energy Corporation (NYSE: GPOR) in the underwritten secondary offering of 650,000 shares of common stock by certain selling stockholders for total gross proceeds of $84 million
- Gulfport Energy Corporation (NYSE: GPOR) in the underwritten offering of 1.5 million shares of common stock by certain selling stockholders for total gross proceeds of $142 million
- A private company in the issuance of over $200 million of asset-backed securities secured by operated producing oil and gas wells
- Delek Logistics Partners, LP (NYSE: DKL) in its at-the-market offering of up to $100 million in common units representing limited partnership interests
- Skydeck Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, in its $200 million initial public offering
- Callon Petroleum Co. (NYSE: CPE) in its $600 million offering of 7.50% senior unsecured notes
- Catalyst Partners Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: CPARU), a special purpose acquisition company, in its $300 million initial public offering
- Underwriters in the $110 million follow-on equity offering by Golar LNG Limited (NASDAQ: GLNG)
- Underwriter in connection with $500 million initial public offering of SAILâ„ (Stakeholder Aligned Initial Listing) securities by Revolution Healthcare Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company
- Issuers in numerous offerings by special purpose acquisition companies in the technology, healthcare, real estate, travel, financial services and energy industries
- Leif Höegh & Co. Ltd. and funds managed by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners through a 50/50 joint venture vehicle to acquire the shares in Höegh LNG Holdings Ltd
- Health Assurance Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, in its $500 million initial public offering of SAILâ„ (Stakeholder Aligned Initial Listing) securities
- Underwriter in connection with $200 million initial public offering of securities by Ivanhoe Capital Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company
- Summit Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: SMLP) in a fully-consensual Term Loan restructuring involving Summit Midstream Partners Holdings, LLC
- Callon Petroleum Company in capital structure initiatives used to reduce borrowings on Callon’s credit facility, including entering into a $140 million cash generating overriding royalty interest ("ORRI") transaction with a private investment vehicle managed by Kimmeridge Energy, and a $300 million issuance of secured second lien notes and warrants
Prior to joining Kirkland, Sean’s representative transactions included:
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Mountain Capital Partners in numerous acquisitions and fund formation
- Ensco plc in its $863 million all-stock acquisition of Atwood Oceanics, Inc.
- Rowan Companies, Inc. in its joint venture with Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Weatherford International Ltd. in its $1 billion joint venture with Schlumberger, to create OneStim
- Rice Energy Inc. in its $2.7 billion acquisition of Vantage Energy, LLC
- BreitBurn Energy Partners L.P. in its $3 billion acquisition of QR Energy, LP
- Athlon Energy Inc. in its $7.1 billion sale to Encana Corporation
- LinnCo LLC in its $4.3 billion acquisition of Berry Petroleum Co.
- Plains Exploration & Production Company in its $9 billion acquisition by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. of Plains Exploration & Production Company and McMoRan Exploration Company
- Plains Exploration & Production Company in its $450 million sale of a 20% interest in Plains Offshore Operations, Inc., the US-based Gulf of Mexico assets of Plains Exploration & Production Company
- Energy Transfer Partners LP in its $5.3 billion acquisition of Sunoco Inc.
- Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. in its $9.2 billion acquisition of Southern Union Company
- Rowan Companies, Inc. in its $1.1 billion sale of LeTourneau Technologies to Joy Global, Inc.
- K-Sea Transportation Partners L.P. in its $600 million sale to Kirby Corporation
Capital Markets
- Over 30 IPOs since January 1, 2010
- Initial purchasers in inaugural bond offering for Indigo Minerals
- Initial purchasers in inaugural bond offering for Covey Park Energy
- Athlon Energy Inc., BJ Services, Inc., Enduro Royalty Trust, K-Sea Transportation Partners LP, Pacific Coast Royalty Trust, VTTI Energy Partners LP and USD Partners LP in their initial public offerings
- Underwriters in initial public offerings of WildHorse Resources, Inc., Extraction Oil and Gas, Inc., EP Energy Corporation, PermaRock Royalty Trust and Eclipse Resources Corporation
- Underwriters in the initial public offerings of Alon Refining LP, CVR Refining LP, Dynagas LNG Partners LP, Enviva Partners LP, KNOT Offshore Partners LP, GasLog Partners LP, Golar LNG Ltd, Golar LNG Partners LP, Enable Midstream Partners LP, Franks International NV, Navios Maritime Midstream Partners LP, North Atlantic Drilling Ltd., QEP Midstream Partners LP, Seadrill Partners LLC, SunCoke Energy Partners LP, Valero Energy Partners LP and Western Gas Equity Partners LP
- Rowan Companies, Inc. in its notes offerings
- Underwriters in numerous follow-on debt and equity offerings by Matador Resources Company
- Underwriters in numerous follow-on debt and equity offerings by Enlink Midstream Partners LP
- Underwriters in numerous follow-on debt offerings by EP Energy LLC
- Underwriters in the $3 billion senior notes offering of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
- Underwriters in numerous debt and equity offerings by Western Gas Partners, LP
- Weatherford International Ltd. in numerous debt and equity offerings
Prior Experience
Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
Presenter, Recent Developments in the U.S. Oil and Gas M&A Market, American Association of Professional Landmen and The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law’s Advanced Landman’s Institute, November 2024
Presenter, Update on The Energy M&A Landscape, Independent Petroleum Association of America: 95th Annual Meeting, October 2024
Presenter, M&A and Antitrust Market Update, Wells Fargo Midstream and Downstream Sonoma Retreat, September 2024
Presenter, M&A, Activism and ESG Discussion, Women Corporate Directors Meeting, September 2024
Panel Moderator, Allocating Capital for Tomorrow: Energy Security and Transition: Rice Energy Finance Summit, November 2023
Presenter, Managing Risk in a Changing Energy M&A Environment, McGriff Private Equity Energy Seminar, October 2023
Presenter, M&A Webinar Series - Session Two - Overview of a Public Company Merger Agreement, June 2023
Presenter, M&A Webinar Series - Session One - Market Trends, Fiduciary Duties and Structuring, May 2023
Panel Moderator, Morning Keynote, Rice Energy Finance Summit, November 2022
Presenter, Overview of SEC Regulatory Developments, AICPA After The Boom: A Look at Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) Litigation Webcast, July 2022
Panelist, Energy M&A Trends, Institute for Energy Law Mergers & Acquisitions in Energy Conference, April 2022
Panel Moderator, CFO Roundtable, Rice Energy Finance Summit, November 2021
Panel Moderator, Fundraising in the Minerals & Royalties Space, NorthAm Minerals & Royalties Assembly, October 2021
Panelist, SPAC-tacular…or Not?, UT Law CLE 17th Annual Mergers and Acquisitions Institute, October 2021
Presenter, Activism & ESG Developments: Lessons from the Exxon / Engine No. 1 Proxy Context and the 2021 Proxy Season, Texas General Counsel Forum, July 2021
Presenter, SPAC Capital Market and M&A Trends, Center for Professional Education, SPAC 2021 Conference
Panel Moderator, SPAC Trends & Insights, EIC Investor Conference, Virtual Seminar, May 2021
Panelist, SPACs in the Space Industry, Harvard Business School Aerospace Club, April 2021
Panelist, So You Want to go Public?, World Oilman’s Mineral & Royalty Conference, April 2021
Presenter, Carve-Out Transaction Considerations in the Energy Sector, Webinar, March 2021
Panel Moderator, Oil & Gas Consolidation, MergerMarket Energy M&A Forum, Virtual Seminar, December 2020
Presenter, Dealmaking in a Distressed Energy Market, 2020 UT Mergers & Acquisitions Institute, October 2020
Presenter, Take Private Transactions in the Oil and Gas Industry, Webinar, 2020
Presenter, M&A Strategies for Energy Companies in a Time of Market Distress, Webinar, 2020
Presenter, Recent Developments in Oil & Gas M&A, UT Law CLE’s 46th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute and Fundamentals, March 2020
Presenter, Take Private Transactions, Webinar, 2020
Presenter, Structuring Solutions in Challenging Times, Webinar, 2020
Speaker, Oklahoma City General Counsel Luncheon, February 2020
Panel Moderator, How M&A, Activism, and Restructurings are Shaping the Energy Sector and Its ESG Posture, ESG and Energy: The Sequel Conference, Houston, January 2020
Panelist, UT 15th Annual Mergers and Acquisitions Institute, Dallas, October 2019
Presenter, Liability Management, Webinar, 2019
Speaker and Co-Presenter, 6th Annual Mergers & Acquisitions in Energy Conference, Houston, May 2019
Presenter, Energy M&A Market Update, Webinar, 2018
Publications
Editor, The Energy Mergers & Acquisitions Review
Co-Author, "A SPAC Curveball," Kirkland Alert, April 15, 2021
Recognition
The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, M&A Law, Securities and Capital Markets Law, 2008–2015 & 2024
Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A and Capital Markets: Debt & Equity, 2013–2024
Chambers Global, Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Central United States, 2020–2023
Chambers Global, Corporate/M&A (International & Cross-Border), 2021–2023
The Legal 500 United States, Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas, 2012–2013, 2016, 2019–2024
The Legal 500 United States, Shareholder Activism: Advice to Boards, 2020
Texas Lawyer, Texas Trailblazer, 2019
Texas Lawyer Professional Excellence Awards, Most-Effective Deal-Maker, 2019
IFLR1000, Highly Regarded in Texas, Capital Markets: Debt, Capital Markets: Equity, Private Equity, M&A, 2018–2025
The Am Law Daily, Dealmaker of the Year, 2015
Texas Monthly and Law and Politics, Texas Super Lawyer, 2010–2018
Law360, MVP of Energy, 2013
The Am Law Daily, Dealmaker of the Week, June 2011 and May 2012
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- Texas
- New York
Education
- Harvard Law SchoolJ.D.cum laude1995
- University of Alabama at BirminghamB.S.summa cum laude1992