Michael E. Coney is “Of Counsel” to the firm practicing oil, gas and energy law. Mr. Coney received his B. A. from the University of New Orleans in 1968 and his J. D. from Loyola University, New Orleans in 1972 where he was a member of the Loyola Law Review. In 1977, while on an academic fellowship, he earned a Master of Civil Law degree from Louisiana State university. In 1995, he completed with distinction an LLM degree at Tulane University in Energy and Environmental law. From 1972 through 1975, he served as a law clerk to the honorable James A. Comiskey in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. After practicing law privately, in 1978 Mr. Coney joined Shell Oil Company as an attorney where for twenty-nine years until retirement in October, 2007, his practice focused on the regulatory and statutory aspects of exploration, production and development on the Outer Continental Shelf as well as drafting and interpretation of agreements related to mineral development among co-lessees in the OCS. In addition to support of shallow water shelf activity, he was also integrally involved in legal support of Shell’s expansion into the deep water Outer Continental Shelf beginning with the Auger project in 1990 and continuing through the 2007 Perdido Regional Development Project. His practice has encompassed MMS regulatory operational issues, OCS lease sales, OCS unitization proceedings and appeals, federal royalty appeals both regulatory and judicial, resolution of incidents of OCS non-compliance, the drafting and interpretation of shelf and deepwater unit and Joint Operating Agreements and their associated exhibits of gas balancing, COPAS, and integrated project team exhibits, as well as negotiation of drilling contracts, and drafting of fabrication contracts for offshore platforms and facilities. His practice required frequent appearances before the Mineral Management Services on issues involving royalty, operational regulations and incidents of non-compliance. Mr. Coney was for over twenty years an active member of The American Petroleum Institute Subcommittee of Exploration and Production Law and served twice as its Chairman. He also served as Chairman of the Offshore Operations Committee legal subcommittee for twenty years. During this time for both groups he was frequently involved in the review and drafting comments on both regulations and bills impacting the Outer Continental Shelf. In 2004, he was appointed by the Secretary of the Interior and served through 2007 as an industry representative to the Minerals Management Service Royalty Policy Committee whose function is to advise the Secretary on royalty matters. For several years he served as a trustee of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. He has been a guest speaker at the Louisiana Mineral Law Institute, The Houston Bar Association, the RMMLF Institute on Federal and Indian Royalty Valuation and Management, and has for several years served as co-chair as well as a speaker at the RMMLF Federal Offshore Oil & Gas Leasing & Development Short Course.
Year Admitted to Practice: Louisiana: 1972
Education: Loyola University, J.D., 1972; Louisiana State University Law Center, M.C.L., 1977; Tulane University, LL.M., Energy/Environmental Law, with distinction, 1995
Law School Honors:
Loyola Law Review
Affiliations:
Louisiana State Bar Association. Member of American Petroleum Institute Subcommittee of Exploration and production law 1985 – 2007 serving twice as Chairman; Chairman of Offshore Operator’s Legal Subcommittee 1987 – 2007. Industry Representative to MMS Royalty Policy Committee 2004 – 2007. Member Board of Trustees Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation since 2005-2008.
Areas of Practice:
Oil & Gas
Renewable Energy and Clean Technology
Bar Admissions:
All Louisiana state and federal courts, United States Supreme Court, U. S. Tax Court, U. S. Court of Federal Claims.