Enbridge, a Canadian energy company has been in talks with Marathon Petroleum and has finally come to an agreement concerning oil distribution, according to American Lawyer. The oil will travel from North Dakota through a $2.6 billion Sandpiper pipeline. More than 200,000 barrels of oil will originate from the Bakken Shale formation and flow through Minnesota to an Enbridge owned terminal in Wisconsin.
The legal firm advising the Enbridge and Marathon union includes Jones Day partner Jason Lief, tax partners Karen Currie and Todd Wallace, and IP partner Joe Beauchamp. Last year the firm guided Marathon into a $2.5 billion deal with a Texas refinery involving a big British oil company. Vinson & Elkins took the British oil lead and is also advising the Enbridge/Marathon agreement.
Enbridge’s chief legal officer is David Robottom, a former Canadian CEO of Fraser Milner Casgrain. James Blanchard serves as an independent member on Enbridge’s board of directors. The oil company also employs an impressive number of lobbyists to advocate for them in Washington D.C. with Williams & Jensen, North America’s major transporter of oil.
Marathon also employs its own section of renowned lobbyists. John Snow, former U.S. Treasury Secretary is an independent member on Marathon’s board; he also holds a law degree of his own. The company has agreed to fund 35.7 percent of the Sandpiper pipeline project. The pipeline goes on for 610 miles.
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