- HB 5 Authorizes parish governing authorities and citizens to determine whether Class VI injection wells, carbon dioxide sequestration, and carbon dioxide pipelines
SCOTUS Presented with Best Opportunity to Weigh In on Climate Change Litigation
The United States Supreme Court is currently presented with what many believe is the best opportunity for the Court to provide sorely needed guidance in the vastly growing climate change docket—where energy companies are facing liability for injuries allegedly sustained due to greenhouse gas emissions. In Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc., et al. v. County Commissioners
DOI Issues Draft Proposed 2026-2031 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program: Sales Scheduled for Alaska, Gulf of America, and Pacific Regions
On November 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) published its Notice of Availability of the 1st Analysis and Proposal of the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (11th OCS Program), opening up a statutorily required 60-day public review and comment period on
Podcast: All’s Well that Ends in a Well: Drilling Contracts
In this episode of “Energy Law This Week,” hosts Matt Jones and April L. Rolen-Ogden discuss significant legal cases affecting the energy sector, including the Greenpeace case and a royalty class action lawsuit in North Dakota. They delve into the implications of these cases on the oil and gas industry, as well as
When “Net Zero” Meets the Courtroom: Energy Companies and the Rise of Greenwashing Litigation
A Landmark Ruling in Paris
In late October 2025, a Paris civil court handed down a decision that could reshape how global energy companies discuss their efforts in climate transition. The court ruled that an energy company misled consumers through a 2021 rebranding campaign where the company promised to be “a major player in the
Big Beautiful Gulf 1 Lease Sale to Offer 80 Million Acres for Leasing at 12.5% Royalty Rate
BOEM’s Final Notice of Sale (FNOS) for Big Beautiful Gulf 1 (BBG1), to be published in the Federal Register on November 10, 2025, will offer for leasing approximately 15,083 unleased OCS blocks located across the Gulf of America (GOA) – all, regardless of water depth, at the lowest allowable federal offshore royalty rate of
ExxonMobil Sues California Over Climate Disclosure Laws
In late October 2025, Exxon Mobil Corporation filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, launching a major constitutional and regulatory challenge to California’s landmark climate disclosure regime. The company’s lawsuit targets two statutes enacted in 2023: Senate Bill 253—the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, and Senate
Government Shutdown and BOEM, BSEE and ONRR Contingency Plans
Due to the government shutdown, which began on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) implemented their respective contingency plans that were prepared in the event of a lapse in government funding. These contingency plans essentially halt renewable energy activities while prioritizing
Podcast: The Oil and Gas Regulator with an Unlikely Name: The Texas Railroad Commission
In this episode of “Energy Law This Week,” hosts Matt Jones and April L. Rolen-Ogden discuss the Texas Railroad Commission with Kelli Kenney, who is deeply immersed in the legal practice involving that agency. The Texas Railroad Commission is the earliest dedicated agency to regulate oil and gas, and it has been
Podcast: Clearing the Air: Carbon Capture in the New Era
In this episode of “Energy Law This Week,” hosts Matt Jones and April L. Rolen-Ogden are joined by LSU Law Professor, Keith Hall, to delve into the intricacies of carbon capture and storage, exploring its mechanisms, economic drivers, and regulatory frameworks. The discussion highlights the importance of federal tax credits as a