Skip to main content
About John
John Stavinoha's practice focuses on representing developers, exploration and production companies, midstream companies, private equity funds, purchasers and sellers in all aspects of upstream and midstream transactions; including the purchase and sale of hydrocarbons, oil and gas properties, production and storage facilities and pipeline systems, as well as negotiating and drafting many types of transactional agreements across the entire energy spectrum including leases; farmout and participation agreements; drilling and other service contracts; development and operating agreements; gas, crude and natural gas liquid gathering, transportation, processing, storage and fractionation agreements; produced water gathering and disposal agreements; recycled water service agreements; and flare mitigation agreements.
John also has substantial experience performing mineral reserve due diligence reviews for clients investing in operated and non-operated working interests and mineral, royalty and other types of upstream assets, including in distressed situations.
Given this prior experience, John is also well positioned to assist with carbon capture projects, including real property rights and commercial issues involving enhanced oil recovery and CO2 sequestration.
Prior to joining Bracewell, John clerked with the Texas Railroad Commission.
Experience
Recent Notable Matters
Sable Offshore Corp. — purchase from Exxon Mobil Corporation of the Santa Ynez field in Federal waters offshore California and associated onshore processing and pipeline assets, including pipeline assets acquired by Exxon Mobil from Plains Pipeline L.P. and the proposed merger with Flame Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition entity
King Ranch, Inc. — negotiation of a pore space lease and surface use agreement covering approximately 106,000 acres for the development of an industrial scale direct air capture carbon sequestration project in Kleburg County, Texas
Talos Low Carbon Solutions LLC — development of the Gulf Coast carbon capture and storage projects along the US Gulf Coast and Texas state waters in the Gulf of Mexico, including the project offshore Jefferson County, Texas with a lease from the Texas General Land Office as well as the projects with Freeport LNG and the Port of Corpus Christi
Aris Water Solutions, Inc. — acquisition of seven saltwater disposal wells and related infrastructure from Delaware Energy Services, LLC for approximately 3.37 million of Class A shares of Aris stock plus a small, volumetric-based contingent consideration paid over five years
Aris Water Solutions, Inc. — negotiation of long-term full cycle water management agreement with Chevron U.S.A. Inc. for properties located in the Permian Basin
Titus Oil & Gas Production, LLC and Titus Oil & Gas Production II, LLC — $627 million divestiture of New Mexico assets located in the northern Delaware Basin owned by Titus Oil & Gas Production, LLC, Titus Oil & Gas Production II, LLC, and their affiliates to Earthstone Energy, Inc. (NYSE:ESTE). The aggregate purchase price consists of $575 million in cash and approximately 3.9 million shares of Earthstone’s Class A common stock valued at $52 million based on a closing share price of $13.51 on June 24, 2022.
Entity affiliated with GeoSouthern Energy Corp. — upstream joint venture with a subsidiary of The Williams Companies, Inc. for the acquisition of an interest in and development of Williams’ South Mansfield Assets in the Haynesville Shale
Sabalo Energy, LLC — sale of Midland Basin assets to Laredo Petroleum Inc. for $606 million in cash and 2.507 million shares of Laredo’s common stock
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. — as administrative agent for the first lien lender group in the Alta Mesa Chapter 11 bankruptcy case
Sabalo Energy, LLC — divestiture of produced water gathering and recycling infrastructure assets in the Midland Basin to H2O Midstream LLC, including negotiation of long-term produced water gathering, disposal and recycling agreements
WaterBridge Resources LLC — $125 million acquisition of produced water assets from PDC Energy, Inc. and negotiation of water services agreements
Titus Oil & Gas, LLC — negotiation of produced water gathering and disposal agreement and source water supply agreement for properties located in the Delaware Basin
Titus Oil & Gas, LLC — negotiation of gas gathering and processing agreement for properties located in the Delaware Basin
WaterBridge Resources LLC — acquisition of salt water disposal assets from NGL Energy Partners LP for $238 million
WaterBridge Resources LLC — acquisition of produced water assets in the Delaware Basin
Permian Basin H2O LP — divestment of fresh and produced water solutions company in the Permian Basin to GlobeLTR Energy Inc.
Three Rivers Operating Company III LLC — sale of 59,000 net acres in the Delaware Basin for an undisclosed cash consideration to Admiral Permian Resources, LLC
GEP Haynesville, LLC — exchange of non-operating working interests located in the Haynesville Basin with Vine Oil & Gas LP
Parsley Energy Inc. — $2.8 billion acquisition of certain entities holding undeveloped acreage and producing oil and gas properties in the core of the Midland Basin from Double Eagle Energy Permian LLC and certain of its affiliates consisting of approximately $1.4 billion in cash and approximately 39.8 million units of Parsley Energy
Sabalo Energy, LLC — negotiation of several produced water connection agreements in the Permian Basin containing acreage dedications and minimum volume commitments
Group of commonly owned private equity-backed portfolio — sale of an undivided 25% non-operated position in their Delaware Basin assets for approximately $179 million along with the negotiation of a joint operating agreement with extensive joint development mechanics
Independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company — acquisition of Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. for $2.7 billion in stock and cash
American Resource Development (Ameredev) — sale of undeveloped acreage and producing oil and gas properties in the Delaware Basin (27,552 gross (16,098 net) surface acres), for a total consideration of $615 million in cash to Callon Petroleum Operating Company
Private equity-backed company — series of acquisitions of mineral interests in the Midland Basin region from a private equity backed seller
Publications and Speeches
“There’s Floodin’ Down in Texas,” Oil & Gas Investor, April 2020.
“Mineral Transactions Require Careful Attention,” Oil & Gas Investor, Who’s Who in Minerals, January 2018.
“Texas Affirms The Promise of Off-Site Drilling,” Law360, June 2017.