BLG’s Oil and Gas Group is unique in the Canadian market, practising both dispute resolution and regulatory work, which enables us to represent our clients in complex disputes involving both court and administrative proceedings.
BLG’s commercial energy litigation lawyers are industry leaders, with the depth of knowledge and technical expertise to handle the most complex commercial litigation matters. BLG is a recognized leader in handling significant oil and gas disputes, and our team is especially noted for its work in bet-the-company litigation, with a focus on significant matters in the oil and gas, pipeline, securities litigation/regulatory sectors.
Members of BLG’s disputes group regularly appear before all levels of provincial and federal courts, and the Supreme Court of Canada. Our commercial dispute resolution group in Alberta is well known and its expertise and record in the Alberta Court of Appeal.
Experience
- Province of British Columbia on a 160 day trial in the BC Supreme Court, in defence of a treaty infringement claim by the Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN) relating to the cumulative effects of industrial development. The BRFN sought to prohibit all development over a 40,000 km2 area in northeastern BC.
- Crew Energy Inc. with respect to several appeals before the British Columbia Oil and Gas Appeal Tribunal that raise unique issues relating to Crown Land subject to an agricultural lease.
- Counsel to the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) before the Supreme Court of Canada in the B.C. Environmental Management Act Reference.
- Weatherford International PLC and Weatherford Canada Ltd. in respect to:
- a patent infringement lawsuit, related to fracking technology.
- an international arbitration under UNCITRAL involving global usage of drilling technology.
- A vital industry association on the British Columbia Court of Appeal pipeline constitutional reference involving bitumen transportation.
- Husky Oil Operations in a number of oil and gas related matters.
- A leading E&P company on oil sands project, pipeline and contractual disputes.
- An international oil and gas enterprise and its affiliates in negligence, gas processing and contractual disputes.
- A multinational energy corporation concerning a dispute over ownership of abandoned wells in the Arctic.
- A global technical services provider in relation to damages claimed by the owner of a Fort Hills Oil Sands Project totalling approximately $150 million, including repair costs, delay damages, and loss of value to the project due to the alleged failure of a passive fire protection coating.
- Spectra Energy Transmission in its $228 million claim for negligent supply of service, materials and project delay, related to the construction of a $1 billion gas processing plant in northern B.C.
- A dispute involving local government and a world-class waste treatment center in a series of disputes with an in-area oil and gas company.
- PNW and Pacific Northwest LNG Ltd. in defence of the action commenced by Lax Kw’alaams First Nation seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against the Attorney General of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Prince Rupert Port Authority, Pacific Northwest LNG Ltd. and PNW.
- A publicly-listed oil and gas royalty corporation on various oil and gas related matters.
- One of Canada’s largest oil and gas E&P companies, and a number of other oil and gas companies, in defending against actions taken by the largest non-Crown lessor of oil & gas rights in Alberta, to terminate multiple petroleum & natural gas (PNG) leases throughout central Alberta through service of hundreds of notices to caveator to take proceedings on caveat.
- A Calgary technology company in relation to an international arbitration under the ICC Rules of Arbitration involving Middle Eastern and North African oil and gas operations.
- An E&P company in environmental contamination claims involving contamination and stigma/financing claims related to: rural/residential claims arising from well site operations; abandoned and operating well sites and pipelines; and commercial properties arising from heritage service station or bulk fuel storage facilities.
Testimonials
Key Contacts
-
Randall Block
Senior Counsel
Services
- Corporate Commercial
- Energy - Oil & Gas
- Class Actions
- Securities Disputes
- Appellate Advocacy
- [See more on full bio]
-
Rick Williams
Partner and National Business Leader, Environmental, Municipal, Expropriation & Regulatory
- Location
- Vancouver
- RWilliams@blg.com
- Phone
- 604.640.4074
Rick Williams
Partner and National Business Leader, Environmental, Municipal, Expropriation & Regulatory
Services
- Environmental
- Energy – Power
- Renewable Energy
- Indigenous Law
- Disputes
- [See more on full bio]
-
Karen Salmon
Partner
Services
- Energy Disputes
- Energy – Power
- Energy – Power Regulatory
- Energy - Oil & Gas
- Commercial Arbitration
- [See more on full bio]
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