Houston law firm expands energy practice to Paris

bon voyage

The new office will expand Bracewell's capabilities in France and the broader Europe, the Middle East and Africa region. Photo via Bracewell

It's not just United States athletes descending upon France this summer. A Houston-based law firm has announced the expansion of its energy team into the region.

Bracewell LLP has opened an office in Paris La Défense and named 11 energy and infrastructure lawyers from Norton Rose Fulbright to the new location, which will be focused on project development, M&A, and finance transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The team will have an emphasis on renewable and conventional power, energy transition, oil and gas, and infrastructure in France — as well as Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, per a news release from the firm.

“We are thrilled to welcome our new colleagues to the firm and to open an office in Paris,” Bracewell Managing Partner Gregory M. Bopp says in the release. “The addition of this energy and infrastructure team, one of the largest and most highly regarded in Paris, builds on the strengths of our preeminent global energy platform and broadens our capabilities in France, Africa, and the broader EMEA region.”

Anne Lapierre, Arnaud Bélisaire and Simon Cudennec joined Bracewell as partners in Paris. Eight associates and counsel complete the team: Véronique Bruel, Marie Zelazko, Adnen Ben Naser, Sandra Hahn Duraffourg, Pierrick Ferrero, Diane Dusserre, Noémie Portut-Castel, and Carl Kalaani.

“The French team is a pure energy and infrastructure team, which mirrors who we are and what has been successful in London,” Jason Fox, managing partner of Bracewell’s London office, says in the release. “Where the London office has a strong focus on the oil and gas sector, the French team is more focused on renewables. That, combined with the addition of French law and OHADA capabilities, complements our platform and strengthens our renewables offering, notably in Francophone Africa.”

Lapierre previously served as head of Norton Rose Fulbright’s global energy practice, and Bélisaire co-led that firm's energy practice in Paris. Cudennec, also from Norton Rose Fulbright, specializes in projects within the energy, infrastructure and natural resources sectors in France and French-speaking Africa.

“Bracewell’s focus on sector excellence has made it one of the leading energy law firms in the world,” adds Lapierre. “Arnaud, Simon and I are thrilled to join an outstanding and dedicated global team that has broad capabilities and a sterling reputation across the entire energy spectrum.”

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1PointFive signs latest deal, shares update on $1.3B carbon removal project

DAC deal

Houston-based 1PointFive, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp., has secured another buyer of carbon dioxide removal credits for its $1.3 billion STRATOS project as it moves toward operation.

Bain & Company, a Boston-based consulting firm, has agreed to purchase 9,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits from the direct air capture (DAC) facility over three years, according to a news release. DAC technology pulls CO2 from the air at any location, not just where carbon dioxide is emitted.

The deal is Bain's first purchase of DAC removal credits. The company has developed a program that helps clients purchase carbon credits from a range of carbon-removal technologies.

"We are proud to partner with 1PointFive and add them to our portfolio of engineered carbon removal technologies," Sam Israelit, Bain’s chief sustainability officer, said in the news release. "Their track record for developing DAC technology, coupled with their deep understanding of what it takes to deliver large-scale infrastructure projects, uniquely positions them to be a leader in this emerging segment.”

“We believe this agreement demonstrates continued momentum for the solution while supporting the development of vital domestic infrastructure,” Anthony Cottone, president and general manager of 1PointFive, added in the release.

Bain joins others like Microsoft, Amazon, AT&T, Airbus, the Houston Astros and the Houston Texans that have agreed to buy CDR credits from STRATOS.

The Texas-based STRATOS project is being developed through a joint venture with investment manager BlackRock and is designed to capture up to 500,000 metric tons of CO2 per year. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency approved Class VI permits for the project last year.

1PointFive says STRATOS is "progressing through start-up activities." The company shared in a LinkedIn post that Phase 1 of the project is expected to go online in Q2, with Phase 2 ramping up through the remainder of 2026.

Houston researcher develops efficient method to cool AI data centers

cool findings

A University of Houston professor has developed a new cooling method that can remove heat at least three times more effectively from AI data centers than current technologies.

Hadi Ghasemi, a distinguished professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at UH, published his findings in two articles in the International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer. The findings solve a critical issue in the growing AI sector, according to UH.

High-powered AI data centers generate huge amounts of heat due to the GPU and operating systems they use with extreme power densities, which introduce complex thermal challenges. Traditionally, cooling methods, like microchannels, which use flow and spray cooling, have had limitations when exposed to extreme heat flux, according to UH.

Ghasemi’s research, however, found a more effective way to design thin-film evaporation structures to release heat from data centers and electronics at record performance.

Ghasem’s solution coupled topology optimization and AI modeling to determine the best shapes for thin film efficiency, ultimately landing on a branch-like structure—resembling a tree.

The model found that the “branches” needed to be about 50 percent solid and 50 percent empty space for optimum efficiency, and that they could sustain high heat fluxes with minimal thermal resistance.

“These structures could achieve high critical heat flux at much lower superheat compared to traditionally studied structures,” Ghasemi said in a news release. “The new structures can remove heat without having to get as hot as previous removal systems.

Ghasemi’s doctoral candidates, Amirmohammad Jahanbakhsh and Saber Badkoobeh Hezave, also worked on the project. The team believes their results show the impact of a physics-aware, AI design and can help ensure reliability, longevity and stability of AI data centers.

“Beyond achieving record performance, these new findings provide fundamental insight into the governing heat-transfer physics and establishes a rational pathway toward even higher thermal dissipation capacities,” Ghasemi added in the release

Texas federal judge allows lawsuit against California AG over ExxonMobil remarks

In the News

A federal judge in Texas ruled that ExxonMobil can bring a defamation lawsuit against California’s attorney general over comments about the company’s plastic recycling efforts.

U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale in the Eastern District of Texas said in a ruling in February that California Attorney General Rob Bonta cannot claim official immunity in regards to several statements he made, including one in a campaign email sent to Texas residents.

Bonta sued Exxon in September 2024, saying that the oil giant encouraged consumers to purchase plastics products with the promise that the products would be recycled. He said less than 5% of plastic is recycled into another plastic product, and that recycling processes touted by Exxon don't work. Exxon said the problem is with California's recycling system.

Exxon later sued Bonta in his individual capacity and environmental groups for defamation, saying that the comments harmed current and future business contracts. The lawsuit was filed in Texas, near its principal place of business.

Truncale dismissed the lawsuit against the environmental groups but allowed it to proceed against Bonta.

The judge pointed to a campaign email Bonta sent to Texas residents saying that only 5% is recycled and the rest ends up in the environment and in our bodies: “Exxon Mobil knew, and Exxon Mobil lied.” Bonta, a Democrat, argued he was simply updating email recipients on his office's activities.

But Truncale said a campaign contribution link on the email turned the communication into a campaign activity not protected by immunity in Bonta's official capacity as attorney general.

“Here, the contribution request betrays the email's true nature: a campaign promotion. Campaigning is not within Bonta's scope of employment,” the judge wrote.

Bonta has filed a notice of appeal.

“The Attorney General looks forward to vigorously litigating this case, and is proud to advance his lawsuit against ExxonMobil,” his press office said.

ExxonMobil said in a statement that the “campaign of lies designed to derail our advanced recycling business must stop.”

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