David Wochner is a member of Sutherland’s Energy and Environmental Practice Group and focuses his practice on regulatory, policy and transactional issues related to a broad range of energy and environmental matters. His experience includes counseling and representing clients in matters concerning:
- Capacity and transportation rights and obligations at U.S. and European liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminals and on downstream pipelines.
- Interstate natural gas pipelines operations and policies before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
- Minerals Management Service (MMS) leasing issues associated with offshore energy facilities, including LNG terminals, wind and hydrokinetic power facilities, and natural gas pipelines.
- Global gas quality and interchangeability issues for LNG importers.
- U.S. federal, state and local authorities’ roles in the development of energy infrastructure, including LNG terminal siting.
- Impact of climate change on natural gas and LNG industry participants.
- Coastal zone management issues.
- Development of stakeholder engagement strategies for energy infrastructure projects.
David’s clients include natural gas importers, infrastructure developers, financial institutions, state and provincial government officials, and large industrial consumers of natural gas. He is a member of Sutherland’s Energy Policy and Government Affairs Team, providing counsel in the representation of such interests as the advancement of policies and incentives for domestic natural gas producers, importers of LNG and offshore renewable energy developers. In addition, David’s energy practice includes advising energy marketers and trading companies on state and local transaction taxes for natural gas and power transactions.
David is co-founder of the
LNG Law Blog, a leading industry source for North American LNG news. He is also a co-founder of and regular contributor to the
Offshore Energy Law Blog, a leading industry source focusing on issues at the intersection of offshore energy and federal policy, regulation and politics.
In addition, David serves on Sutherland’s Climate Change law team, working with clients to identify and capitalize on opportunities and respond to business challenges impacted by climate change policies and regulations.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE David’s recent representative experience includes:
- Serving as regulatory counsel on behalf of major international LNG importers for the analysis of all federal regulatory issues affecting LNG importation and natural gas matters, including Natural Gas Act Section 3 and 7 issues, Hackberry policy issues, and jurisdiction and preemption issues arising from other federally required approvals.
- Serving as lead regulatory counsel on behalf of a major international LNG importer in natural gas interchangeability proceedings on multiple interstate pipelines and in defense against allegations of infrastructure harm.
- Advising a major international energy trading company regarding a potential offshore U.S. LNG terminal, including all associated issues with the U.S. Maritime Administration and the MMS.
- Advising a major international oil and gas company regarding MMS alternative energy leasing issues associated with a potential deepwater offshore wind power project.
- Advising the New Brunswick Provincial Government regarding proposed Maine LNG terminals, including FERC representation, emergency response planning, and environmental, safety, security and stakeholder engagement issues related to vessel transit.
- Advising financial institutions on possibility of LNG exports from the United States, including development of strategy to address political and policy issues.
- Analyzing European and U.S. LNG terminal third-party access issues and state tax implications for a major financial house regarding the possible importation of LNG.
- Advising several LNG importers and capacity holders in terminal-use agreement negotiations on operational issues, including third-party access and gas composition, for European and U.S. regasification facilities.
- Serving as lead counsel advising a major industrial corporation regarding FERC compliance matters associated with the purchase, sale and transportation of natural gas.
- Counseling two major LNG importers on development of stakeholder engagement strategies and plans for prospective LNG terminal sites, including state and local engagement.
- Serving as regulatory counsel to a natural gas producer regarding the acquisition of certain pipeline assets in the Marcellus Shale production area.
PROFESSIONAL HONORS AND AWARDS
- Recipient, 2007 Burton Award for Legal Achievement for “Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Litigation After the Energy Policy Act of 2005,” Energy Law Journal (November 14, 2006)
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Member, National Law Alumni Board, Georgetown University Law Center
- Co-chair, Recent Alumni Advisory Council, Georgetown University Law Center
- Board Member, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund Campaign Board
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
- Co-founder and editor, www.LNGLawBlog.com
- Co-founder and editor, www.OffshoreEnergyLawBlog.com
- Commentator, “Pro-drilling GOPer wins Va. governor’s race, fueling push for 2011 lease sale,” Inside Energy (November 9, 2009)
- Commentator, “MMS issues rules for renewable projects on the OCS, eases way for offshore wind,” Inside FERC (April 24, 2009)
- Co-author, “LNG Importer Focus Turns to US Interchangeability Rules,” LNG Journal (November/December 2007)
- Author, “Middle Eastern Oil and Gas,” CQ Press (2007)
- Co-author, “European LNG Developers Face Complex Commercial Landscape,” Oil & Gas Journal (April 9, 2007)
- Co-author, “Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Litigation After the Energy Policy Act of 2005,” Energy Law Journal (November 14, 2006)
- Co-author, “Florida’s Gas Composition Decision Offers Preliminary Guidelines for US LNG Imports,” LNG Journal (May 2006)
- Speaker, EUEC 2010 13th Annual Energy & Environment Conference (February 1-4, 2010)
- Speaker, 15th International Conference and Exhibit on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG-15) (April 25, 2007)
- Speaker, Gas Technology Institute Global LNG Interchangeability Conference (September 11–12, 2006)
- Speaker, Valve Manufacturers Association’s Annual Market Outlook Workshop (August 18, 2005)
- Speaker, Valve Manufacturers Association’s Annual Market Outlook Workshop (August 20, 2004)