Daniel P. Archuleta

Daniel leads the firm’s natural gas pipeline practice, where he advises a broad array of clients on regulation, competition, and transactional issues. His extensive industry experience and engineering background enable him to understand the real-time logistical and operational problems his clients face. Daniel leverages his unique skill set to tackle emerging issues and navigate complex matters for his clients. He helps his clients develop and construct large natural gas infrastructure and technologies, and addresses regulatory concerns involving liquified natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), and renewable natural gas (RNG) production, transportation, and distribution.

Daniel represents natural gas pipeline and storage companies, local distribution companies (LDCs), electric utilities, generation owners, and energy trading companies in proceedings before the FERC, state public utility commissions, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals, particularly in matters related to administrative complaints and litigation, merger proceedings, rate-making and certificate proceedings, and investigation and compliance matters. Daniel also counsels his clients on novel issues related to strategic planning and commercial matters within the pipeline and energy industry.

In addition, Daniel offers pro bono representation to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, Kids in Need of Defense, and other nonprofits. Daniel is an active member of the Energy Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association of Washington, D.C., and the Legal Council on Legal Diversity.

Gas

• Serves as FERC counsel in the development and FERC certificate prosecution for a major transmission system’s significant and innovative expansion to the interstate natural gas pipeline’s existing system. The project will help transition to a renewable energy future, address increment natural gas transportation needs in the region, and shift away from higher emitting energy resources (such as fuel oils), all without having to undertake new greenfield pipeline construction.
• Represents a client customer group in ongoing FERC rate case under Section 4 of the Natural Gas Act has including all legal issues regarding both the settlement and litigation phases of cases to date, including discovery, expert testimony, pre-trail hearings, and proposed settlement offers.
• Advised an interstate natural gas storage company with respect to federal permitting and commercial matters related to constructing, owning, and operating a new compressor station. Served as FERC counsel in the Natural Gas Act Section 7 certificate proceeding for authority to construct, own and operate the project, and we assist on regulatory compliance and commercial transactions related to development of the project, including developing foundational documentation and work on regulatory permitting strategy and application prosecution and construction phases of the project.
• Represented a litigating customer group in Section 4 general rate increase proceeding with the FERC. Representation has included all legal issues regarding both the settlement and litigation phases of rate case at FERC, as well as follow-up FERC proceedings involving natural gas imbalances on the pipeline system and technical working group settlement discussions.
• Advises and represents a new natural gas pipeline company with respect to FERC permitting and commercial matters related to building, owning, and operating a 65-mile interstate natural gas pipeline.
• Served as FERC counsel in the development and FERC certificate prosecution by natural gas pipeline company; assisted with all FERC regulatory aspects of the project, including developing foundational documentation, assisting with the conduct of FERC-required open seasons and capacity reservation, and working on regulatory permitting strategy and application prosecution.
• Represented several diverse client customer groups in FERC rate cases under Section 4 of the Natural Gas Act; counsel on all legal issues regarding both the settlement and litigation phases of cases to date, including discovery, expert testimony, pre-trail hearings, and proposed settlement offers.
• Serves as FERC counsel to multiple interstate natural gas pipeline companies, including with respect to FERC rate case proceedings; appellate proceedings involving new pipeline infrastructure permitting; regulatory and transactional matters involving expansion projects, Standards of Conduct and other FERC compliance counseling.
• Advised local distribution companies and interstate natural gas pipelines in matters pertaining to FERC regulation, including interstate pipeline, storage and LNG investments; Section 7(f) of the Natural Gas Act and limited-jurisdiction blanket certificates; FERC complaint proceedings; rule-making and other policy change proceedings; asset optimization strategies; FERC standards of conduct issues; and transfer of jurisdictional assets.
• Counseled local distribution companies on customized RFP processes to award pipeline capacity assets valued at several hundred million dollars to asset managers, including transactional documents addressing confidential information, bidding processes, and asset management agreements and gas purchase and sale agreements.
• Advised local distribution companies and developers on transactional and regulatory matters involving new and emerging technologies associated with renewable natural gas (RNG) production, transportation, and distribution.
• Counseled limited-jurisdiction (Hinshaw and Section 311) storage and pipeline companies during various FERC certificate proceedings and ongoing regulatory compliance matters.
• Represents energy trading and marketing companies in regulated transactions, interstate pipeline rate and tariff matters, jurisdictional asset transfers, and compliance matters.
• Advised natural gas pipeline companies and local distribution companies in internal investigations regarding a variety of FERC enforcement matters.

Electric

• Counseled multiple entities on asset transfers and corporate transactions requiring FERC approval under Sections 203 and 204 of the Federal Power Act.
• Advised regulated electric utilities in FERC rate case proceedings under Section 205 of the Federal Power Act, including during trial-type hearings.
• Counseled an association of U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies on various disclosure and accounting issues at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

• Best Lawyers in America®: Energy Law (2022-2026), Oil and Gas Law (2023-2024)
• Legal 500 United States for Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas (2021-2025)
• Chambers Global USA, Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation), Nationwide (2024-2025)
• Chambers USA, Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation), USA Nationwide (2021-2025)
• Lawdragon: 500 Leading Energy Lawyers (2024-2025)
• National Law Journal, 2020 D.C. Rising Star