2018 Gas and Power eConference

Federal Energy Policy and Regulation Update (Oct 2018)

FERC operated without a quorum for more than six months, and September will mark a full year with a restored quorum and nearly a year with a new chairman. Explore the topics identified for FERC action for the remainder of 2018 and what will likely top the Commission’s agenda for early 2019.   

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Regina Speed-Bost, Reed Smith LLP - Washington, DC

Texas Legislative and Regulatory Update (Oct 2018)

Providing an update on recent judicial and administrative decisions affecting the Texas gas and electric industries along with a look ahead at what may be topics of change for the 86th Legislative Session.
 

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Jennifer Littlefield, Haynes and Boone, LLP - Austin, TX
Jessica L. Morgan, Husch Blackwell LLP - Austin, TX

What is on the Horizon for Energy in the 86th Legislature?  (Oct 2018)

Where does the competitive electric market go from here? Will ERCOT continue to be an attraction to non-ERCOT portions of Texas? What is the appetite to implement new cybersecurity measures, and are additional customer protections necessary? Will imminent domain and condemnation rights come under examination, again? Is horizontal drilling still a darling or does it create new sets of regulatory challenges? Will crude and natural gas exports from Texas continue to grow? Will the energy reforms in Mexico remain a factor in Texas, or will they be stifled? So many questions await in 2019. 

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Nelson H Nease, Nelson H. Nease, P.C. - Austin, TX
Walt Baum, Texas Public Power Association (TPPA) - Austin, TX
James E. Mann, Duggins Wren Mann & Romero, LLP - Austin, TX
Thomas A. Zabel, Zabel Freeman, LLP - Houston, TX

Waters of the United States: The Future Regulation of Potholes and Other Issues (Oct 2018)

Review the recent action of EPA and the Department of the Army in resetting the effective date of the 2015 Rule from August 2015 to February 2020. Also discuss the likelihood for changes to the 2015 Rule, and the emerging trend of ground water being considered as regulated under the federal Clean Water Act. 

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

John A. Riley, Holland & Knight LLP - Austin, TX

LIBOR and Letters of Intent (Oct 2018)

Market trends and issues regarding the replacement of LIBOR in transactional documentation and ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ or ‘best practices’ for the drafting of the document that typically is the precursor to any significant transaction – the letter of intent.

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Ellen P. Pesch, Sidley Austin LLP - New York, NY
Robert G. Stephens, Sidley Austin LLP - Houston, TX

Current State of Power M&A in Texas (Oct 2018)

A review of the past year's M&A activities in Texas.

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Eric Conrad Otness, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP - Houston, TX

Updates From The Texas Railroad Commission  (Oct 2018)

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Ryan Sitton, Texas Railroad Commission - Austin, TX

LNG Commercial Models and Challenges Update (Oct 2018)

Hear an overview of various LNG commercial models offered by first and second wave U.S. LNG export projects. Cover how the choice of project structure may affect the commercial model and marketing efforts.

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Monica Hwang, King & Spalding - Houston, TX

Blockchain 101 (Oct 2018)

A primer on understanding how blockchains, distributed ledger technology, and smart contracts work and the potential application of these digital technologies in the energy industry.   

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Jesse S. Lotay, Jackson Walker LLP - San Antonio, TX
Michael L. Laussade, Jackson Walker LLP - Dallas, TX

The Digital Fin-Tech Revolution Continues (Oct 2018)

Discuss how gas and power companies, and their lenders, compete and comply with cyber-security concerns. Review concerns including blockchain applications, smart contracts, virtual currency, new data privacy standards (e.g., EU’s GDPR), and fin-tech architects collaborating with regulators to provide “regulatory nodes” to give the government windows of real-time transparency into smart contracts, blockchains and commodity trading. “Isn’t that like inviting a vampire into your house?” 

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Dickson C. Chin, Jones Day - New York, NY
Phil Lookadoo, Haynes and Boone LLP - Washington, DC
Timothy J. Nagle, US Bank - Washington, DC

Emerging Technologies in the Retail and Wholesale Electric Power Markets (Oct 2018)

How does the growth in wind and solar in Texas impact energy storage investment versus traditional generation investment. How do the Texas market dynamics impact short versus long-duration energy storage?

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Meghan Elaine Griffiths, Jackson Walker LLP - Austin, TX
Jack L. Farley, Apex Compressed Air Energy Storage, LLC - Houston, TX
Wayne Morrison, Reliant Energy Inc - Houston, TX

Issues in Texas Liquids Pipeline Regulation: Shipper Complaints as a Tool to Regulate the Texas Market (Oct 2018)

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

John K. Arnold, Locke Lord LLP - Houston, TX

Report from the IMM (Oct 2018)

Hear a review of ERCOT market outcomes for Summer 2018 with preliminary thoughts about the need for any market changes. 

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Beth Garza, Potomac Economics - Austin, TX

ERCOT Reserve Margins (Oct 2018)

Analyze price formation in the ERCOT energy-only market during this period of low system capacity reserve margins. Also, review the implications of Summer 2018 and related market design elements with respect to sustaining existing capacity and the development of new capacity in the ERCOT market from a variety of market perspectives. 

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Diana M. Liebmann, Haynes and Boone, LLP - San Antonio, TX
John C. Bonnin, CPS Energy - San Antonio, TX
Katherine L. Coleman, Thompson & Knight LLP - Austin, TX
Amanda J. Frazier, Vistra Energy - Austin, TX
Mark Walker, Clark Hill Strasburger - Austin, TX

Resiliency/Curtailment Priorities between Gas Utilities and Electric Utilities (Oct 2018)

Coordination challenges between natural gas transportation services and electric generation are far from new. Addressing harmonization of these industries service priorities continues to grow more critical as natural gas increasingly supplies electric generation. Using recent efforts to coordinate these diverse industries and examining conflicting regulations, we can better understand the current activity underway at the federal and state level.

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Ronald Mucci, ONEOK, Inc. - Tulsa, OK

Mexico Update (Oct 2018)

Mexico has finalized the key legal framework for the energy sector, which derived from the 2013 Constitutional reform and has attracted substantial foreign investment in upstream, midstream, downstream, power and renewable energies. The implementation of the Energy reform under the TPP, NAFTA 2.0, EITI and ICSID plus a new administration will face new challenges and opportunities in 2018 and beyond.

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Nicolas Borda, Haynes and Boone, LLP - Mexico City, Mexico

Luncheon Keynote (Oct 2018)

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

James Hoecker, Husch Blackwell LLP - Washington, DC

Everyday Strategies for Avoiding Professional Misconduct (Oct 2018)

Explore easy, common sense techniques that you can employ in your law practice to steer clear of legal malpractice, breaches of fiduciary duty, and findings of professional misconduct. A timely and important ethics tune-up that you won’t want to miss.

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Scott Rothenberg, Law Offices of Scott Rothenberg - Houston, TX

The Ethics of Oil and Gas Negotiations: Are There Any? (Oct 2018)

Sure, we all negotiate every day and we never intentionally mislead the other side — well, maybe we puff a bit, but that's OK, isn't it? That’s how the game is played, correct? And certainly there’s nothing inherently unethical about the negotiation process, right? Wait — are you sure that the answers to those questions are as clear cut as they seem? Nationally-renowned speaker Mike Rubin, with his unique blend of scholarship and humor, and with one of the most unusual multi-media presentations you’ll ever see, will challenge your thinking, raise issues to ponder, and give you something to smile about.

Originally presented: Sep 2018 Gas and Power Institute

Michael H. Rubin, McGlinchey Stafford PLLC - Baton Rouge, LA