Natural Gas Purchase and

Transcription

1 COurse Natural Gas Purchase and Sale Contracts Denver Marriott City Center EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.0 CEUs for the course. 1

2 Overview This course spotlights gas contracts and, while focusing on the basics of gas sale contracts, will include an overview of the many components of the physical industry, and related contracts such as transportation service agreements, operator balancing agreements, and joint operating agreements. Attendees will receive a brief overview of federal laws and regulations relating to natural gas merchants. Especially important is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Article 2, which deals with sales. Attendees will learn the importance of understanding this important law that governs each and every wholesale gas transaction in the U.S. A full one-half of the course will be spent on a typical gas contract, as attendees learn the secrets all good gas contractors should know at the outset. This vital course should be taken by all who are new to the natural gas contracting business. Who Should Attend Contract administrators Contract negotiators Attorneys Paralegals Sales, marketing and commercial personnel Learning Outcomes Discuss how to successfully negotiate a gas contract by understanding the reasons for every standard gas contract clause Assess how to anticipate what your negotiating counterparty really wants Illustrate how the physical gas industry and the law impact contract language works Identify how to spot good and bad contract language Practice negotiation techniques necessary for a successful contract negotiation INSTRUCTOR Ann O Hara Ann O Hara had nearly 30 years of experience as an attorney, focusing on energy law, before taking inactive status with the Nebraska State Bar Association at the end of She gained the majority of her energy experience as senior counsel for Aquila Energy Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1995, O Hara began her own law practice and practiced energy transactional law with an emphasis on over the counter derivative documentation. Her clients included some of the largest utility and energy company trading groups in the United States. In 2000, O Hara wrote the book, A Practical Guide to Gas Contracts published by PennWell Publications, which is still the definitive book on gas contracting. The 467-page book is available from PennWell.com and from Amazon.com. O Hara has been a frequent lecturer on energy risk management issues and ISDA documentation. She has presented dozens of seminars and workshops throughout the United States and Canada on gas contracting, introduction to the natural gas industry, the 1992 ISDA Master Agreement, the 1994 ISDA Credit Support Annex, the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement, Master Netting Agreements, the NAESB Base Contract and the GISB Base Contract. She has also presented webinars on gas contracting and the ISDA documentation. She is a 1981 graduate of the University Of Nebraska College Of Law, and an inactive member of the Nebraska State Bar Association, as well as an honorary member of the International Energy Credit Association. 2

3 Agenda Tuesday, March 25, :00 8:30 a.m. registration and Continental Breakfast 8:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. industry Overview: From Wellhead to Burner Tip and the Laws the Govern Gas Contracts In our morning session, you will learn about the industry that produces, processes, transports, stores, distributes and consumes natural gas. You will learn about the major player in this diversified industry, as well as each player s goals in gas contracting. To finish the morning, you will learn about the laws that govern virtually every contract for the sale of goods having a value in excess of $ This law, Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code, has been adopted in every state but Louisiana. The same law that applies to wholesale gas transactions applies to consumers buying a new car or a refrigerator, so knowledge of Article 2 as it applies to goods that are not solids, but gas is essential for any successful gas contractor. 12:00 1:00 p.m. Group Luncheon 1:00 5:00 p.m. the Contract: Looking at the Clauses and Issues That May Be Lurking During the remainder of the day, we will take the next logical step and apply everything learned in the morning to a typical gas contract. The contract used for this course is not a standardized gas contract, but it contains all of the clauses that must be in every gas contract. We will proceed clause-by-clause through the gas contract and extra time will be devoted to the portions of a gas contract where most problems seem to lurk. Attendees will be encouraged to take part in this discussion. In addition to covering all clauses necessitated by a section of UCC Article 2, you will learn the reasons for clauses linked to: Gas transportation Other physical processes Wednesday, March 26, 2014 You will also learn about: Joint operating agreements Basic gas balancing agreements storage service agreements 8:00 8:30 a.m. continental Breakfast 8:30 11:45 a.m. tying It All Together This portion of the course will consist of both seminar and workshop segments. Taking lessons from the first day of this course, you will be given helpful negotiation tips as well as information on how to spot good contract language and how to avoid bad contract language. By implementing a few exercises, you will be able to know how to respond to a variety of negotiation roadblocks. 11:45 a.m. Final Comments, Q&A and Adjournment 3

4 Requirements for Successful Completion of Program Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for entirety of course to be eligible for continuing education credit. Instructional Methods Case studies, PowerPoint presentations and classroom exercises will be used in this course. iacet Credits EUCI has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA In obtaining this approval, EUCI has demonstrated that it complies with the ANSI/IACET Standards, which are widely recognized as standards of good practice internationally. As a result of its Authorized Provider membership status, EUCI is authorized to offer IACET CEUs for its programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standards. EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.0 CEUs for the course. EVENT LOCATION A room block has been reserved at the Denver Marriott City Center, 1701 California Street, 80202, for the nights of March 24-25, Room rates are $219, plus applicable tax. Call for reservations and mention the EUCI course to get the group rate. The cutoff date to receive the group rate is February 17, 2014, but as there are a limited number of rooms available at this rate, the room block may close sooner. Please make your reservations early. PROCEEDINGS The proceedings of the course will be published, and one copy will be distributed to each registrant at the course. 4

5 EVENT LOCATION please register the following A room block has been reserved at the Denver Marriott City Center, 1701 California Street, 80202, for the nights of March 24-25, Room rates are $219, plus applicable tax. Call for reservations and mention the EUCI course to get the group rate. The cutoff date to receive the group rate is February 17, 2014, but as there are a limited number of rooms available at this rate, the room block may close sooner. Please make your reservations early. Natural Gas Purchase and Sale Contracts : US $1495 Early bird on or before March 14, 2014: US $1295 EUCI s E EUCI has gathered during its 26 years organizing conferences. Sign me up for Energize Weekly. How did you hear about this event? (direct , colleague, speaker(s), etc.) Print Name Job Title Company What name do you prefer on your name badge? Address City State/Province Zip/Postal Code Country Telephone List any dietary or accessibility needs here CREDIT CARD Name on Card Account Number Billing Address Billing City Billing State Billing Zip Code/Postal Code exp. Date Security Code (last 3 digits on the back of Visa and MC or 4 digits on front of AmEx) OR Enclosed is a check for $ to cover registrations. All cancellations received on or before February 27, 2014, will be subject to a US $195 processing fee. Written cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event or publication. This credit will be good for six months. In case of event cancellation, EUCI s liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at (201) EUCI reserves the right to alter this program without prior notice. 5