The rapid expansion of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling may spark the nation’s first comprehensive energy law in five years, attorneys at Washington law firms say. New provisions could give a boost to energy production in places like North Dakota, where legal work derived from the growing oil industry has already exceeded the supply of lawyers. In this special report, we examine the potential impact of new legislation, as well as legal issues related to safeguarding the pipeline infrastructure, and applying new corporate compliance regulations to the energy industry.

Energy lawyers predict sweeping legislation
Congress could make big moves on energy policy next session, thanks to the boom in natural gas and oil production from shale deposits across the country.