EX-8.1 3 d554375dex81.htm EX-8.1 EX-8.1

Exhibit 8.1

 

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  www.lw.com
  FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES
  Abu Dhabi    Milan
  Barcelona    Moscow
  Beijing    Munich
  Boston    New Jersey
  Brussels    New York
  Chicago    Orange County
September 4, 2013   Doha    Paris
  Dubai    Riyadh
  Düsseldorf    Rome
  Frankfurt    San Diego
  Hamburg    San Francisco
  Hong Kong    Shanghai
  Houston    Silicon Valley
  London    Singapore
  Los Angeles    Tokyo
Pacific Coast Energy Company LP   Madrid    Washington, D.C.
515 South Flower Street, Suite 4800     
Los Angeles, California 90071     

 

  Re: Pacific Coast Oil Trust – Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Pacific Coast Energy Company LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), in connection with the filing on the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission of a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

This opinion is based on various facts and assumptions, and is conditioned upon certain representations made by the Partnership as to factual matters through a certificate of an officer of the Partnership (the “Officer’s Certificate”). In addition, this opinion is based upon the factual representations concerning the business, properties and governing documents of Pacific Coast Oil Trust as set forth in the Registration Statement.

In our capacity as counsel to the Partnership, we have made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries, including an examination of originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records and other instruments, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion. In our examination, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures thereon, the legal capacity of natural persons executing such documents and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. For the purpose of our opinion, we have not made an independent investigation or audit of the facts set forth in the above-referenced documents or in the Officer’s Certificate. In addition, in rendering this opinion we have assumed the truth and accuracy of all representations and statements made to us which are qualified as to knowledge or belief, without regard to such qualification.

We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only of the federal income tax laws of the United States and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of other federal laws, foreign laws, the laws of any state or any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any other local agencies within any state.


September 4, 2013

Page 2

Based on the facts, assumptions and representations set forth herein, the statements in the Registration Statement under the caption “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as such statements purport to constitute summaries of United States federal income tax law and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP as to the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the matters described therein.

No opinion is expressed as to any matter not discussed herein.

This opinion is rendered to you as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, and we undertake no obligation to update this opinion subsequent to the date hereof. This opinion is based on various statutory provisions, regulations promulgated thereunder and interpretations thereof by the Internal Revenue Service and the courts having jurisdiction over such matters, all of which are subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Also, any variation or difference in the facts from those set forth in the representations described above, including in the Registration Statement and the Officer’s Certificate, may affect the conclusions stated herein.

This opinion is furnished to you, and is for your use in connection with the transactions set forth in the Registration Statement. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or furnished to, assigned to, quoted to or relied upon by any other person, firm or other entity, for any purpose, without our prior written consent, except that this opinion may be relied upon by Pacific Coast Oil Trust and by persons entitled to rely on it pursuant to applicable provisions of federal securities law.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP