Julia Williams Nunez is an economist who advises pipeline and energy infrastructure clients on regulation and commercial matters. Her expertise includes oil and refined product markets, the economic analyses of pipeline rate regulation—including cost- and market-based ratemaking analyses for crude oil, refined products, and natural gas liquids pipelines—and evaluating competition issues.
Ms. Williams Nunez’s analytical work has secured numerous successful regulatory determinations. She has extensive experience supporting pipeline clients before the FERC and state regulatory agencies in the US and in non-US jurisdictions, including on issues relating to tariff rates, applications for market-based ratemaking authority, and non-rate issues such as jurisdictional status of services. Ms. Williams Nunez’s consultative assignments have included preparing economic analysis for initial transportation rates during clients’ petitions for declaratory orders and transportation service agreements as well as tariff rate strategies for multi-phase system expansions requiring cost-based rate analyses and rate design presentations.
Ms. Williams Nunez has supported major oil companies and independent midstream entities facing regulatory and commercial challenges, disputes, and investigations. She has prepared complex multi-asset financial analysis and economic damage calculations related to fraudulent inducement claims for clients engaged in commercial litigation, contributing to favorable settlements. Beyond pipeline work, her economic expertise and rigorous analyses have contributed to successful settlements and arbitration rulings in rail and electricity disputes.
Ms. Williams Nunez has been published in the Journal of Natural Gas and Electricity. She frequently speaks at industry conferences on developments in oil and pipeline markets and was selected as a member of the Institute for Energy Law’s 4th Young Energy Professionals Leadership Class. Prior to joining NERA in 2019, she consulted for nine years on nearly 40 engagements for clients in the pipeline industry.