August 1, 2019
The firm represented the Kayne Private Energy Income Funds investment platform in connection with its equity commitment to WildFire Energy I LLC, an oil and gas exploration and production company.
Willkie recently advised the Kayne Private Energy Income Funds platform in connection with its equity commitment to WildFire Energy I LLC, an oil and gas exploration and production company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Together with commitments from funds affiliated with Warburg Pincus, Kayne and management, WildFire has secured over $1 billion in equity commitments. The agreement was announced on July 18.
WildFire is focused on the acquisition and development of oil and gas assets with significant existing production and intends to pursue onshore acquisition-and-exploit opportunities throughout the continental United States.
This transaction represents the second significant equity commitment from the Kayne Private Energy Income Funds platform and Warburg Pincus in 2019, with the consortium also providing equity financing to Ensign Natural Resources LLC in connection with its acquisition of Eagle Ford shale acreage from Pioneer Natural Resources earlier this year. Willkie represented Kayne Anderson in connection with that investment.
Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P., founded in 1984, is a leading alternative investment management firm focused on energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and growth equity. Kayne manages approximately $30 billion in assets for institutional investors, family offices, high net worth and retail clients, and employs 350 professionals in five offices across the U.S.
The Kayne Private Energy Income Funds platform is part of Kayne's successful energy private equity practice that has raised over $10 billion since 1998. The strategy was formed in late 2014 to take advantage of the market opportunity to acquire and develop large, long-life producing oil and gas assets in North America.
The Willkie deal team was led by partners Steven Torello and Michael De Voe Piazza, and included associates Audra White and Will Thanheiser.