Phillips 66 Retains Van Ness Feldman as New D.C. Lobbyists

Van Ness Feldman has become the first outside firm to lobby in Washington for Phillips 66 Co. since the oil and gas company spun off from ConocoPhillips Co. last year.

Phillips 66 enlisted the firm to advocate for it on oil and gas industry matters, tax reform and the looming $85 billion in spending cuts known as the sequester, according to lobbying registration paperwork filed with Congress on Friday. Van Ness senior tax counsel Michael Platner is handling the account.

Platner declined to elaborate on his lobbying for the company.

Phillips 66 has spent $1.5 million on federal government advocacy since it submitted lobbying registration paperwork to Congress in June 2012, according to congressional records. The Houston-based company deployed three of its employees to lobby for it last year.

The company in 2012 lobbied on several matters, including U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issues concerning the oil and gas industry. The EPA's renewable fuel standard program and refinery rulemaking were among Phillips 66's interests.

Phillips 66 operates 15 refineries that have a capacity of 2.2 million barrels of crude oil per day and supplies its gasoline to 10,000 outlets, according to the company. It also has stakes in natural gas and chemical companies.