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.”

Houston energy transition folks — here's what to know to start your week. Photo via Getty Images

Houston energy transition events not to miss, expert commentary on climate crisis, and more things to know

take note

Editor's note: Start your week off strong with three quick things to catch up on in Houston's energy transition: a roundup of events not to miss, a new Houston energy executive to know, and more.

Events not to miss

Put these Houston-area energy-related events on your calendar.

    • Future of Energy Summit is Tuesday, February 6, at AC Hotel by Marriott Houston Downtown. Register.
    • The 2024 NAPE Summit is Wednesday, February 7, to Friday, February 9, at the George R. Brown Convention Center. It's the energy industry’s marketplace for the buying, selling and trading of prospects and producing properties. Register.
    • The De Lange Conference, taking place February 9 and 10 at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, is centered around the theme “Brave New Worlds: Who Decides? Research, Risk and Responsibility” this year. Register.
    • The Future of Energy Across the Americas: Helping Lawyers Predict and Adapt — the 2024 Houston Energy Conference — is February 27 to March 1. Register.
    • CERAWeek 2024 is Monday, March 18, to Friday, March 22, in the George R. Brown Convention Center. Register.

    ​Commentary: Chris Wood, co-founder of Moonshot Compost, on loving the climate apocalypse​

    Chris Wood knows that the last thing anyone wants to be reminded of in 2024 is the impending climate apocalypse, but, as he writes in his guest column, "There is a scientific consensus that the world climate is trending towards uninhabitable for many species, including humans, due in large part to results of human activity."

    He cites a report that 93 percent “believe that climate change poses a serious and imminent threat to the planet.”

    "Until recently reviewing this report, I was unaware that 93 percent of any of us could agree on anything," he writes. "It got me thinking, how much of our problem today is based on misunderstanding both the nature of the problem and the solution?" Read more.

    New hire: Bracewell names new partner to advise clients on energy transition tax incentives

    Bracewell announced that Jennifer Speck has joined the firm's tax department as a partner in the Houston office. Speck will advise clients on energy transition tax incentives.

    Some of her experiences include onshore and offshore wind, solar, carbon capture, clean hydrogen and clean fuel projects. She recently served as senior manager of tax and regulatory compliance at Navigator CO2 Ventures LLC. She graduated in 2010 with a B.F.A. in mental health psychology from Northeastern State University, and received her J.D., with honors, from The University of Tulsa College of Law in 2012. Read more.

    Bracewell announced that Jennifer Speck has joined the firm's tax department as a partner in the Houston office. Photo via LinkedIn

    Energy-focused law firm names new Houston partner

    new hire

    A law and government relations firm serving energy, infrastructure, finance, and technology industries has named a new Houston partner.

    Bracewell announced that Jennifer Speck has joined the firm's tax department as a partner in the Houston office. Speck will advise clients on energy transition tax incentives.

    Some of her experiences include onshore and offshore wind, solar, carbon capture, clean hydrogen and clean fuel projects. She recently served as senior manager of tax and regulatory compliance at Navigator CO2 Ventures LLC. She graduated in 2010 with a B.F.A. in mental health psychology from Northeastern State University, and received her J.D., with honors, from The University of Tulsa College of Law in 2012.

    "Jenny has significant experience in critical tax credits for carbon capture and other energy transition projects," Elizabeth L. McGinley, chair of Bracewell's tax department, says in a news release. "Her knowledge of these, and other, tax incentives strengthens our ability to help clients take full advantage of the tax benefits available under the Inflation Reduction Act."

    Nationally recognized, Bracewell's tax department is known for its experience involving tax matters related to the energy industry. Bracewell has also led the development of one of the country's largest multidisciplinary energy transition legal teams.

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    Texas drivers continue to pump the brakes on EVs, shows new report

    EV adoption

    Even though Texas is home to Tesla, a major manufacturer of electric vehicles, motorists in the Lone Star State aren’t in the fast lane when it comes to getting behind the wheel of an EV.

    U.S. Department of Energy data compiled by Visual Capitalist shows Texas has 689.9 EV registrations per 100,000 people, putting it in 20th place for EV adoption among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. A report released in 2023 by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University found that a little over 5 percent of Texans drove EVs.

    California leads all states for EV adoption, with 3,025.6 registrations per 100,000 people, according to Visual Capitalist. In second place is Washington, with an EV adoption rate of 1,805.4 per 100,000.

    A recent survey by AAA revealed lingering reluctance among Americans to drive all-electric vehicles.

    In the survey, just 16 percent of U.S. adults reported being “very likely” or “likely” to buy an all-electric vehicle as their next car. That’s the lowest level of interest in EVs recorded by AAA since 1999. The share of consumers indicating they’d be “very unlikely” or “unlikely” to buy an EV rose to 63 percent, the highest level since 2022.

    Factors cited by EV critics included:

    • High cost to repair batteries (62 percent).
    • High purchase price (59 percent).
    • Ineffective transportation for long-distance travel (57 percent).
    • Lack of convenient public charging stations (56 percent).
    • Fear of battery running out of power while driving (55 percent).

    “Since AAA began tracking consumer interest in fully electric vehicles, we’ve observed fluctuations in enthusiasm,” said Doug Shupe, corporate communications manager for AAA Texas. “While automakers continue investing in electrification and expanding EV offerings, many drivers still express hesitation — often tied to concerns about cost, range, and charging infrastructure.”

    18 Houston-based energy companies land on Forbes Global 2000 list

    Forbes 2000

    More than 60 Texas-based companies appear on Forbes’ 2025 list of the world’s 2,000 biggest publicly traded companies, and nearly half come from Houston, the majority in the energy sector.

    Among Texas companies whose stock is publicly traded, Spring-based ExxonMobil is the highest ranked at No. 13 globally.

    Rounding out Texas’ top five are Houston-based Chevron (No. 30), Dallas-based AT&T (No. 35), Austin-based Oracle (No. 66), and Austin-based Tesla (No. 69).

    Ranking first in the world is New York City-based J.P. Morgan Chase.

    Forbes compiled this year’s Global 2000 list using data from FactSet Research to analyze the biggest public companies based on four metrics: sales, profit, assets, and market value.

    “The annual Forbes Global 2000 list features the companies shaping today’s global markets and moving them worldwide,” said Hank Tucker, a staff writer at Forbes. “This year’s list showcases how despite a complex geopolitical landscape, globalization has continued to fuel decades of economic growth, with the world’s largest companies more than tripling in size across multiple measures in the past 20 years.”

    The U.S. topped the list with 612 companies, followed by China with 317 and Japan with 180.

    Here are the rest of the Texas-based companies in the Forbes 2000, grouped by the location of their headquarters and followed by their global ranking.

    Houston area (those in the energy sector are in bold)

    • ConocoPhillips (No. 105)
    • Phillips 66 (No. 276)
    • SLB (No. 296)
    • EOG Resources (No. 297)
    • Occidental Petroleum (No. 302)
    • Waste Management (No. 351)
    • Kinder Morgan (No. 370)
    • Hewlett Packard Enterprise (No. 379)
    • Baker Hughes (No. 403)
    • Cheniere Energy (No. 415)
    • Corebridge Financial (No. 424)
    • Sysco (No. 448)
    • Halliburton (No. 641)
    • Targa Resources (No. 651)
    • NRG Energy (No. 667)
    • Quanta Services (No. 722)
    • CenterPoint Energy (No. 783)
    • Coterra Energy (No. 1,138)
    • Crown Castle International (No. 1,146)
    • Westlake Corp. (No. 1,199)
    • APA Corp. (No. 1,467)
    • Comfort Systems USA (No. 1,629)
    • Group 1 Automotive (No. 1,653)
    • Talen Energy (No. 1,854)
    • Prosperity Bancshares (No. 1,855)
    • NOV (No. 1,980)

    Austin area

    • Dell Technologies (No. 183)
    • Flex (No. 887)
    • Digital Realty Trust (No. 1,063)
    • CrowdStrike (No. 1,490)

    Dallas-Fort Worth

    • Caterpillar (No. 118)
    • Charles Schwab (No. 124)
    • McKesson (No. 195)
    • D.R. Horton (No. 365)
    • Texas Instruments (No. 374)
    • Vistra Energy (No. 437)
    • CBRE (No. 582)
    • Kimberly-Clark (No. 639)
    • Tenet Healthcare (No. 691)
    • American Airlines (No. 834)
    • Southwest Airlines (No. 844)
    • Atmos Energy (No. 1,025)
    • Builders FirstSource (No. 1,039)
    • Copart (No. 1,062)
    • Fluor (No. 1,153)
    • Jacobs Solutions (1,232)
    • Globe Life (1,285)
    • AECOM (No. 1,371)
    • Lennox International (No. 1,486)
    • HF Sinclair (No. 1,532)
    • Invitation Homes (No. 1,603)
    • Celanese (No. 1,845)
    • Tyler Technologies (No. 1,942)

    San Antonio

    • Valero Energy (No. 397)
    • Cullen/Frost Bankers (No. 1,560)

    Midland

    • Diamondback Energy (No. 471)
    • Permian Resources (No. 1,762)
    ---

    A version of this article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

    Hydrogen Technology Expo expected to bring largest event yet to NRG Center

    where to be

    The Hydrogen Technology Expo North America returns to NRG Center this month, June 25-26, and is slated to be the largest yet with an expected 10,000 attendees, 500 exhibitors, 200 speakers and more than 100 hours of content.

    The 2025 event will feature cutting-edge technologies, interactive panel discussions and networking opportunities while targeting industries looking to adopt hydrogen and fuel cell technology to help decarbonize their sectors. The event will be co-located with the Carbon Capture Technology Expo North America.

    The 2025 expo will introduce the new Ammonia Zone, a dedicated area fostering collaboration with industries leveraging ammonia as a key component in the hydrogen economy. It will also offer one- and two-day passes for the first time.

    The expo is divided into five tracks:

    • Strategic forum
    • Hydrogen and alternative fuel production
    • Infrastructure and integration
    • Mobility and propulsion systems
    • Carbon capture, utilization and storage

    Speakers include Martin Perez, former associate director for carbon capture at the office of clean energy demonstrations for the U.S. Department of Energy; Frank Wolak, president and CEO of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association; Seema Santhakumar, hydrogen market development leader –Americas at Baker Hughes; Rich Byrnes, chief infrastructure officer for Port Houston; and many others. A full list of exhibitors can be found here.

    Technologies on display will include storage systems, industrial plant technologies, liquefaction technologies, advanced materials and composites, gasification technology, simulation and evaluation, safety systems, hydrogen fuels, hydrogen injectors, line assemblies, fuel-cell control units and more.

    “The Hydrogen Technology Expo offers industry leaders a valuable opportunity to network and stay informed about the latest developments in the rapidly evolving world of hydrogen,” Susan Shifflett, Executive Director at Texas Hydrogen Alliance, said. “We’re a proud partner of the show.”

    Entry to the exhibition hall is free of charge. Passes start at $450. Find more information about how to register here.