Patrick Beaton

Patrick J. Beaton practices in the areas of oil, gas, and energy, with an emphasis on upstream and midstream oil and gas transactions. He has extensive experience in business and commercial transactions on behalf of both privately-held and publicly traded energy companies.

Patrick has represented and assisted in the representation of numerous oil and gas exploration and production companies in both the acquisition and divestiture of producing properties or equity interests. He has represented midstream companies in the negotiation of various contracts.

He has assisted in the representation of several companies in various oil and gas litigation matters and the resolution of oil and gas disputes. He has also helped represent various parties in complex transactions involving the monetization of interests in producing properties and reserves, including the review of associated exchange, balancing, and transportation agreements.

Representative Experience:

• Represented privately-held independent exploration and production company in a series of acquisitions of working interests through entry into participation agreements.
• Represented privately-held independent exploration and production company in a series of divestitures of upstream producing assets and leasehold acreage in North Dakota.
• Represented private equity firm in purchase of net profits interest in producing properties from private exploration and production company.
• Represented start-up oil and gas company in negotiating participation agreements for properties in Texas and California.
• Represented large independent exploration and production company in drafting and negotiating sale agreement for site of a gas processing plant.
• Represented financing party with respect to credit agreement and associated mortgages and title issues concerning collateralized oil and gas properties.
• Represented oil and gas companies and other entities in the negotiation and drafting of contracts for goods and services, including negotiation of software licenses from both licensor and licensee perspective.
• Assisted in representation of a bond insurer in a series of complex transactions involving a municipal gas corporation’s acquisition of interests in producing properties and reserves and entry into several exchange, balancing and transportation agreements to facilitate the discounted sale of natural gas to municipalities throughout Texas.
• Assisted litigation team in defending publicly traded exploration and production company in a series of class action suits alleging a failure to develop oil and gas leases as a reasonably prudent operator.

Professional Affiliations :

• Member, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
  • Regional Chair, 65th Annual Meeting
• Member, Houston Bar Association (Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section)
• Member, State Bar of Texas (Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section)
• Member, Young Professionals in Energy

Education :

• J.D., summa cum laude, University of Houston Law Center, 2001
• B.A., magna cum laude, University of Rochester, 1989

Admissions : Texas, 2001