CLIFF VRIELINK has over 20 years of experience advising private equity, infrastructure and other financial investors, public companies and private companies actively engaging or investing in the energy industry. This experience spans the energy spectrum, from the upstream oil and gas sector (onshore, offshore and internationally) to the midstream sector (natural gas, crude oil, liquids and CO2 pipelines processing facilities and gas and liquids storage assets) to downstream (refining, marketing and distribution), as well as spanning power generation, oilfield service and energy trading. He has represented clients throughout North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
Cliff is a member of Sidley’s Executive Committee, serves as co-managing partner of Sidley’s Houston office and is the global leader of the Energy and Infrastructure practice. He is a member of the firm’s M&A and Private Equity practices.
Cliff has advised on more than 40 transactions with a combined value of over $20 billion since 2018. Recent representative matters include:
- Represented OMERS Infrastructure Management, Inc. in its acquisition of a 50% interest in the BridgeTex crude oil pipeline for ~$1.4 billion from, and its formation of a three-way joint venture for BridgeTex with, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., recognized as “Best Oil & Gas Acquisition” by the 2019 IJ Investor Awards.
- Represented Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners in connection with a $960 million equity financing for three joint ventures with Targa Resources that own interests in the Gulf Coast Express Pipeline, the Grand Prix NGL Pipeline and a new fractionation train located in Mont Belvieu, Texas.
- Represented a sovereign wealth fund as co-investor in conjunction with other investors collectively making $1.3 billion in equity commitments to a deepwater oil and gas exploration company.
- Represented Fairway Resources Partners in connection with its approximately $132 million purchase from Samson Resources Corporation of its Central Anadarko oil and gas asset package under 363 of the Bankruptcy Code.
- Represented Partners Group in connection with its investment in the Seabras-1 fiber optic telecommunications cable between the U.S. and Brazil. This is the first direct fiber optic cable between New York and São Paulo and is logged as the first project finance deal for a subsea cable project backed by an export credit agency. This deal was recognized as a 2016 Deal of the Year by Latin Finance.
Strong leadership in advising clients has earned Cliff acknowledgment in numerous industry publications. Cliff is currently ranked in Chambers USA as a leading lawyer in Corporate/M&A-Texas, been selected as a leading Energy lawyer in Who’s Who Legal for 2019 and is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Energy Law. Additionally he has been showcased in Euromoney’s 2018 Energy and Environment Expert Guide, as well as named to Texas Lawyer’s 2020 “Texas Trailblazers” list and recognized in Oil & Gas Investor, Midstream Business and E&P Magazine. Cliff has also been featured in The Oil and Gas Investor, Midstream Business, Houston Business Journal, The Oil Council’s publication and other publications for his thought leadership.