Thomas E. Knight

Thomas Knight represents several of the leading natural gas, crude oil and liquids pipeline and storage companies on complex administrative matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Department of Energy (DOE). He advises such clients on all matters before FERC and DOE, in particular as lead counsel on rate, certificate, compliance and tariff matters. Tom also counsels new natural gas pipeline and storage companies and crude oil and liquids pipeline companies on developing greenfield energy projects, including guiding them through the regulatory process from formation to obtaining regulatory approvals and preparing initial rates and tariffs to go into service. In addition, Tom is on the Firm’s Board of Directors and is a member of the Firm’s Corporate and Securities Practice Group representing a wide range of clients on transactional and general corporate matters, including as the longtime transaction counsel for a top-10 multiple system operator.

Prior to joining the Firm in 2006, Tom was a senior associate at a boutique communications and energy law firm in Washington, D.C. He represented many top-tier pipeline, utility, cable television, telecommunications and broadcast radio companies in their acquisitions, divestitures, regulatory and general corporate work.

Natural Gas – Pipelines

• Represented a midcontinent interstate natural gas pipeline in defending against a FERC-initiated NGA Section 5 investigation and subsequent fully litigated NGA Section 4 general rate case before FERC and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
• Represented a Florida interstate natural gas pipeline in developing tariff gas quality specifications for renewable natural gas that were contested at FERC
• Represented a Louisiana LNG import and export terminal on all matters before FERC and DOE, including certificate and rate matters and Free Trade Agreement and Non-Free Trade Agreement authorizations
• Represented a Texas intrastate natural gas pipeline in the development of a joint venture to construct and operate a pipeline to the U.S.-Mexico border, including the prosecution of an NGA Section 3 authorization and a Presidential Permit and an initial NGPA Section 311 rates and statement of operating conditions filing
• Represented a Gulf Coast offshore natural gas pipeline in defending the creation of a hurricane cost surcharge at a fully litigated hearing at FERC
• Represented a Texas intrastate natural gas pipeline in a FERC staff protested NGPA Section 311 rate increase proceeding
• Represented a Florida interstate natural gas pipeline in its periodic NGA Section 4 general rate cases before FERC
• Represented an East Coast interstate natural gas pipeline in its comprehensive NGA Section 4 general rate case before FERC
• Represented a Midwestern interstate natural gas pipeline in defending its tariff fuel tracker at a fully litigated hearing at FERC
• Represented a Southwestern interstate natural gas pipeline in its periodic NGA Section 4 general rate cases before FERC
• Represented a midcontinent interstate natural gas pipeline in defending tariff changes set for hearing at FERC  
• Represented a Gulf Coast offshore natural gas pipeline in its periodic NGA Section 4 general rate cases before FERC
• Represented a midcontinent interstate natural gas pipeline in defending against complaints filed at FERC regarding Winter Storm Uri
• Represented an Arizona local distribution company and an electric power company in a fully litigated natural gas pipeline rate case at FERC  
• Represented interstate natural gas pipelines in audits, investigations and compliance matters before FERC
• Represented a new interstate natural gas pipeline in its acquisition of an offshore natural gas system and the development of initial NGA Section 7(c) rates and FERC tariff
• Represented various gathering and production companies in their acquisition of FERC certificated pipelines and obtaining determinations of non-jurisdictional status
• Represented a Florida interstate natural gas pipeline in its right-of-way disputes with state agencies
• Represented a midcontinent interstate natural gas pipeline in its abandonment of 770 miles of mainline transmission for conversion to oil transportation service
• Represented an East Coast interstate natural gas pipeline before FERC with respect to expansion projects, including an LNG storage and vaporizer project   
• Represented a Gulf Coast natural gas company in its development of an intrastate feeder pipeline to an LNG export terminal  
• Represented an interstate natural gas pipeline in its 256 mile, $520 million expansion into the Phoenix metropolitan area, including before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Represented a joint venture natural gas pipeline in its NGA Section 7(c) application for a new 500 mile, $1.3 billion pipeline from Texas to Alabama, including a lease of capacity from an intrastate pipeline
• Represented a joint venture natural gas pipeline in its NGA Section 7(c) application for a new 185 mile, $1.2 billion pipeline from Arkansas to Mississippi
• Represented a Florida interstate natural gas pipeline in its 567 mile, $2.4 billion expansion project and creation of a new rate schedule

Natural Gas – Storage

• Represented a Midwestern interstate natural gas storage system in defending against multiple NGA Section 5 rate investigations before FERC  
• Represented a Midwestern interstate natural gas storage system in its periodic NGA Section 4 general rate cases before FERC
• Represented a Wyoming natural gas storage company in its preparation and prosecution of an NGA Section 7(c) certificate, tariff and market power study
• Represented a Midwestern incumbent interstate natural gas storage system in obtaining market-based rate authority from FERC
• Represented a Mississippi natural gas storage company in contract and tariff matters before FERC

Crude Oil and Liquids

• Represented the parent and affiliated shipper of an interstate liquids pipeline in a consolidated rate proceeding before FERC, including handling comprehensive discovery disputes and depositions
• Represented a new crude oil pipeline in Texas on all FERC-related matters, including advising on structuring, negotiating anchor shipper agreements, conducting open seasons, prosecting a petition for declaratory order and developing initial rates and tariff   
• Represented a Texas-New Mexico crude oil pipeline in the development of a new interstate pipeline, including anchor shipper negotiations, open season, initial rates and tariff
• Represented a Texas-New Mexico crude oil pipeline in defending modifications of tariff quality specifications  
• Represented a North Dakota crude oil pipeline in the development of a new interstate pipeline, including anchor shipper negotiations, open season, initial rates and tariff
• Represented a Texas liquids pipeline in exiting from FERC jurisdiction

Transactional

• Represented a top-10 multiple system operator in its spinoff from its parent into an independent, publicly traded entity     
• Represented an energy company in its acquisitions of several billion dollars worth of pipeline assets, including properties out of the Enron bankruptcy
• Lead transaction counsel for a top-10 multiple system operator in its numerous transactions over the course of several years that added approximately 345,000 cable and internet subscribers at a value in excess of $925 million
• Represented a diversified utility and telecommunications company in the sales of its water, wastewater, gas and electric divisions and subsequent purchases of approximately 300,000 local telephone access lines in multiple states at a value of over $1 billion from Verizon Communications and Qwest Communications