Melissa L. Persons is of counsel at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and is a member of the firm’s Corporate Department and practices in the Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Energy and Infrastructure Practice Groups.

Ms. Persons’ practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, and advising clients in the oil and gas, energy and infrastructure industry.

Ms. Persons received her law degree in 2009 from the SMU Dedman School of Law, where she was a member of the Dean’s List.  While in law school, she served as Articles Editor of the SMU Law Review.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in chemistry, with a concentration in biochemistry, from Duke University in 2005.

A member of the Dallas Bar Association, Ms. Persons is admitted to practice in Texas and before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Representative Experience*

Domestic U.S.

• Counsel to Williams Companies in its $3.8 billion pipeline joint venture with the  Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board in the Marcellus and Utica Basins.
• Counsel to Summit Midstream Partners in its Double E Pipeline Project joint venture to provide natural gas transportation service from the Delaware Basin to the Waha Hub in Texas.
• Counsel to Williams Companies the sale of its olefins plant in Geismar, Louisiana to NOVA Chemicals for $2.1 billion.
• Counsel to American Midstream Partners in pending $815 million acquisition of Southcross Energy Partners and substantially all of the assets of Southcross Holdings.
• Counsel to Encino Energy in connection with the $1.0 billion equity commitment by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in Encino Acquisition Partners.
• Counsel to Williams Companies in connection with its $50 billion merger with Access Midstream Partners, L.P.
• Counsel to Luminant Holdings in its agreement to acquire natural gas generation facilities from NextEra Energy for approximately $1.3 billion.
• Counsel to Woodbine Holdings in its sale of its E&P assets in the Woodbine Shale for approximately $140 million.
• Counsel to Woodbine Holdings in its sale to a Chinese buyer for approximately $560 million.
• Counsel to TEAK Midstream in the sale of its pipeline and natural gas processing plants in the Eagle Ford Shale to Atlas Pipeline Partners LP for $1 billion.
• Counsel to Saddle Butte Pipeline in connection with the sale of its Williston Basin crude oil pipeline and terminal system and natural gas gathering and processing operations to Targa Resources Partners for $950 million.
• Counsel to Chief E&D Holdings in the sale of its Marcellus Shale pipeline system to  PVR Partners for $1 billion.
• Counsel to Cardinal Midstream in its acquisition of Woodford Shale Assets for $268 million.
• Counsel to GAIL India in its joint venture with Carrizo Oil & Gas.
• Counsel to Meritage Midstream Services in its sale of Eagle Ford Shale assets.

International

• Counsel to Murphy Oil in its $2.13 billion sale of Murphy Sabah Oil Co. Ltd, and Murphy Sarawak Oil Co. in an all-cash deal that includes five oil exploration and production projects.
• Counsel to Murphy Oil Corporation in connection with the sale of 30% of its participating interests in several exploration and producing PSCs in Malaysia to PT Pertamina (Persero) for a consideration of $2 billion.
• Counsel to PT Medco Energi Internasional Tbk in connection with the acquisition of the shares in Lundin Indonesia Holding B.V., which has interests in several PSCs in Indonesia.
• Counsel to Murphy Oil Corporation in connection with the farm-in to a 50% participating interest and operatorship in the Deepwater Block 2C PSC in Malaysia from SapuraKencana, Mitsubishi Corporation and PETRONAS Carigali Sdn. Bhd.
• Counsel to Murphy Oil Corporation in connection with the acquisition of a 40% participating interest and operatorship in the Deepwater Block 2A PSC in Malaysia from BHP Billiton Petroleum.

*Includes matters handled prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP