Steven P. Otillar has been representing clients in the development, finance, acquisition and divestiture of domestic and international energy projects for over 15 years, with a particular emphasis on upstream projects in emerging markets.

Practice & Background

Mr. Otillar counsels clients on public tenders and auctions for the right to develop oil and gas and major energy infrastructure projects, including exploration and production blocks, pipelines, and wind, solar and natural gas power projects. He regularly negotiates and structures a variety of investment arrangements – including joint ventures, joint operating agreements, farm-in/farm-out agreements, shareholder agreements, alliance agreements, teaming agreements and joint bidding agreements – relating to the development of major energy and infrastructure projects. Mr. Otillar also handles the underlying tender, construction, engineering and procurement documentation. In addition to representing project sponsors and operators, he has represented financial institutions and other funding sources in financing the acquisition and development of oil and gas properties, drilling rigs, infrastructure and renewable energy projects.

He is a member of the Houston and Texas bar associations and actively participates in their International Law Sections. He is the former Director of the US Region of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators, and currently serves on the Executive Committee, as Vice President of Strategic Planning. Mr. Otillar is also on the Executive Committee of the Institute of Energy Law, serving as Co-Chair for the 2012 Annual Oil and Gas Law Conference, and an editor of the Oil, Gas & Energy Law Journal.

Mr. Otillar received his B.A. cum laude, with honors, from Southwestern University in 1992 and his J.D. cum laude and Order of the Coif from University of Houston Law Center in 1995. Prior to joining Akin Gump, he was a partner at a leading international law firm.

Representative Matters

Mr. Otillar’s representative matters include:

  • representing a large private-equity backed energy company in the divestiture of multiple blocks, platforms and pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico
  • representing a NYSE energy company in the divestiture of its upstream oil and gas operations in Egypt
  • representing a NYSE energy company in the divestiture of assets in the Powder River Basin, including deep rights in the Niobrara, valued at over $350 million
  • representing a publicly traded company in the farm-out and development of a large coal bed methane project in the People’s Republic of China, including negotiation of a production-sharing contract, gas sales agreements and long-term transportation agreements
  • representing a NYSE energy company in the $300 million divestiture of its wholly owned natural gas pipeline and compression assets in Mexico, including a 50 percent interest in a joint venture with PEMEX
  • representing a publicly traded company in several farm-ins for unconventional resource development in Argentina
  • representing a NYSE energy company in the $103 million acquisition of oil and gas producing assets out of the bankruptcy estate of Flying J. Inc.
  • representing an international oil and gas company in its development of offshore oil and gas facilities in West Africa, including the charter of an FPSO, O&M services and subsea-EPC agreements
  • representing a large Japanese conglomerate in the acquisition of non-operating working interests in several offshore blocks in the Gulf of Mexico
  • representing a NYSE energy company in the acquisition and divestiture of several oil and gas blocks in Brazil
  • representing a large biodiesel refiner in several strategic joint ventures to enhance their credit position and long-term trading strategies, with a value in excess of $100 million
  • advising a lender regarding an Ijara Islamic financing of a drilling rig valued at over $115 million
  • advising an international energy company regarding the development of offshore oil and gas processing facilities and related infrastructure in Latin America
  • representing an international energy company in public tenders in Mexico for the development of midstream and downstream energy projects
  • assisting an independent E&P company with negotiation of a joint bidding agreement and the subsequent bid submission and negotiation of a PSC in the Middle East
  • representing a state-owned energy company regarding the acquisition of an FPSO
  • negotiating an alliance agreement between an international energy company and an EPC contractor for the design and construction of an offshore crude oil and natural gas processing facility
  • drafting refurbishment agreements and charter parties for MOPUs, FSOs and offshore drilling rigs
  • leading in-county due diligence teams regarding infrastructure privatization projects in Serbia and Nigeria
  • analyzing numerous international legal frameworks to assess political and legal risks involved with pursuing concessions for oil and gas exploration.

Awards & Accolades

  • Selected as Expert Guides’ Guide to the World’s Leading Energy Lawyers (2013)
  • Selected as Expert Guides’ Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers - Best of the Best in Energy (2012)
  • Selected by Who’s Who Legal in 2011 as one of the world’s leading oil and gas lawyers (2012)
  • “Member of the Year” of AIPN (2010)
  • Named a “Rising Star” by Texas Lawyer
  • Named one of Houston’s Top Energy Lawyers by H-Magazine (2009 to 2011)

Speaking Engagements

  • UT International Upstream Energy Transactions Conference speaker, Houston, Texas 2013
  • 64th Annual Oil & Gas Law Conference co-chair, Houston, Texas 2013
  • “The importance of the Use of the AIPN Model Contacts Used Around the World in the Oil and Gas Industry,” AIPN / ITAM, Mexico City, Mexico, 2013
  • “Career Paths for Young Attorneys in the Energy Sector,” 2013 Hartrick Symposium, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2013
  • “Anti-Corruption Panel, Perspectives from the UK, USA and Brazil,” AIPN International Conference, speaker and moderator, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2012
  • “Joint Operating Agreements: An Analysis of Key Provisions and Concerns from an International E&P Company Perspective,” International Law Institute, Washington, DC 2012
  • “Mitigation of Risk in International Oil and Gas Projects”, NobleLink OTC, Houston, Texas 2012
  • “Making a Petroleum Based Economy an Engine for Growth: The Realities of the Resource Curse,” PUNUKA Annual Lecture, Lagos, Nigeria 2012
  • “International Energy Perspectives: Rise of the NOC,” TSU Symposium, America’s Energy Plan: From Dinosaurs to the Next Generation, Houston, Texas 2012
  • “Comparative Analysis of Host Government Granting Instruments,” AIPN & CAIL, Houston, Texas 2012
  • “Mitigating Risk in Upstream Projects: Tips, tools and best practices,” UTCLE 2012 International Energy Transactions, Houston, Texas 2012
  • “Farmout Agreements,” Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation International Oil & Gas Law, Contracts and Negotiations – Upstream Issues and Agreements, Houston, Texas 2011 
  • “Joint Operating Agreements: An Analysis of Key Provisions and Concerns from an International E&P Company Perspective,” International Law Institute, Washington, DC 2011
  • “Host State’s Participation in Oil and Gas Projects: Upstream Joint Ventures with Host Governments/NOCs,” International Law Institute, Washington, DC 2011
  • “Exploration and Production Contracts in the International Context,” Barra Mexicana, World Energy Council and AIPN’s International Oil & Gas Upstream Contracts Seminar, Mexico City 2011
  • “Comparative Analysis of the Integrated Services Contract Model,” AIPN Seminar, London 2011
  • “Oil and Gas Reforms in Mexico: The New Service Contract Regime,” speaker, moderator and conference chair, AIPN Seminar, Houston, Texas 2011
  • “Understanding and Working Effectively with Non-Fiscal Provisions of Host Country Granting Instruments,” UTCLE 2011 International Energy Transactions, Houston, Texas
  • “Recent Developments in International Joint Operating Agreements,” AIPN Seminar, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2010
  • “Use and Misuse of International Form Agreements in Oil and Gas Projects,” Petrobras University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2010
  • “Development of a New Oil and Gas Regime in Brazil,” Brazil Country Series, Houston, Texas 2010
  • “Internationalization of NOCs: IOC and Service Company Interaction Through the Public Tender Process,” AIPN Seminar, Madrid, Spain 2010
  • “Impacts of Oil and Gas Reforms on International E&P Investment,” Hidrocarburos 2010, Mexico City, Mexico
  • “2010 EPC Outlook,” Infocast Projects and Money Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana 2010 
  • “Special Considerations in Host Government Granting Instruments,” UTCLE 2010 International Energy Transactions, Houston, Texas
  • “Analysis and Implementation of a Production Sharing Contract Model in Brazil,” Petrobras University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2009
  • “Comparative Analysis of International PSC Model to Brazilian Pre-Salt Bills,” IBP Seminar, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2009
  • “International Arbitration in the Energy Sector: A transactional attorney’s perspective,” Client Seminar, Houston, Texas 2009
  • “Allocation of Risk in Major Project Documents,” AIPN Spring Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana 2009
  • “Acquisition and Divestiture of Distressed Assets in the Oil and Gas Sector,” HBA M&A Section Breakfast, Houston, Texas 2009