Mark T. Houston
Partner
Experience
Mark's focus is in the energy and infrastructure sectors, including:
- Acquisitions and dispositions of petroleum and natural gas rights and interests, including transactions in Canada (including the Atlantic Offshore and the Arctic), U.S., U.K., Algeria, Columbia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Qatar and Kazakhstan
- Development and financing of major energy projects, including transmission pipelines, natural gas gathering, processing and storage facilities, LDCs, oilsands projects, enhanced oil recovery projects and independent power projects in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Qatar, Indonesia and Singapore
- Natural gas, oil, electricity, NGL and LNG marketing transactions, including long-term and short-term transactions in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Indonesia, Singapore and Chile
Mark also advises on construction matters, such as engineering, procurement and construction contracting for major energy facilities and infrastructures projects. This includes contracting for the construction or fabrication of onshore and offshore crude oil, natural gas and NGL pipelines, natural gas gathering and processing facilities, NGL fractionation plants, electrical generation facilities and offshore production platforms and topsides and FPSOs.
Representative work
Maxim Power Corp. converting an electric generation facility from coal to natural gas
Counsel to Maxim Power Corp., through its wholly-owned subsidiary Milner Power Limited Partnership, in the conversion of the H.R. Milner electric generation facility from coal to natural gas. We advised in connection with the on-going development and financing of a state-of-the-art 204MW natural gas-fired power plant near Grande Cache, Alberta, including the acquisition of a General Electric Frame 7 F-Class combustion turbine generator and certain related equipment from Kennecott Utah Copper LLC.
TransAlta Corporation's development of a wind power project
Counsel to TransAlta Corporation in connection with the development of a 200 MW+ wind farm project following it having achieved “Selected Proponent” status under AESO’s REP Round 3 program.
Canadian Natural Resources Limited's $1.8 billion note offering
Counsel to the dealers in a $1.8 billion public offering of medium term notes by Canadian Natural Resources Limited.
RMP Energy Inc.'s disposition of energy assets
Counsel to RMP Energy Inc. in a $114 million disposition of crude oil and natural gas interests in the Ante Creek area of west central Alberta.
Parex Resources Inc.'s acquisition of Verano Energy Limited
Counsel to Parex Resources Inc. in the $198 million acquisition of Verano Energy Limited.
Encana Corporation's partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation
Counsel to Encana Corporation (now Ovintiv Inc.) in the $2.9 billion partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation whereby Mitsubishi acquired a 40% interest in Encana's natural gas assets in the Cutbank Ridge area in BC.
Power development company's acquisition of green power
Advising a power development company on a limited partnership and contract for differences with a corporate investor that was interested in acquiring green power from an independent wind project as part of its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.
Power company's bid to acquire Regional Power Inc.
Advising a power development company on its due diligence and bid to acquire Regional Power Inc., a corporate group with 106 MW of hydroelectric assets in BC and Ontario from ManuLife Financial Corporation.
US Development Group LLC's joint venture with Gibson Energy
Counsel to US Development Group LLC in its 50/50 joint venture with Gibson Energy to advance the financing, development and construction of a Diluent Recovery Unit in Hardisty, Alberta.
TransAlta Corporation's joint venture arrangements for a power plant development
Counsel to TransAlta Corporation in respect of negotiating and preparing joint venture arrangements for the development of new wind power plants.
Professional involvement
Professional associations
- Member, Law Society of Alberta
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Calgary Bar Association