Thomas G.

Smart

Tommy has practiced oil and gas law for more than four decades. His clients include operators, producers, and interest holders with onshore and offshore projects and operations in Louisiana and Texas and on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Tommy counsels clients on a broad range of transactional and regulatory matters, including title examination; operating agreements; the Louisiana Risk Charge Statute; agreements for the acquisition, sale, and financing of oil and gas properties; due diligence for producing property acquisitions; 3D seismic permit and license agreements; and a number of other matters. From its early development in Louisiana, he has been extensively involved in rendering advice for several carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) projects, including with regard to sequestration agreements, the Louisiana Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide Act, and unitization.

Over the years, Tommy has worked to provide input and perspective on a number of legislative and regulatory matters affecting the oil and gas industry in Louisiana, including contributing to the updates and revisions to the Louisiana State Mineral Lease Form, serving on the 2022 Risk Charge Commission — whose work led to that year’s revisions to the Risk Charge Statute — and testifying before the Louisiana legislature on CCUS matters.