Law360, New York (February 26, 2015, 11:02 AM EST) -- With crude oil prices tumbling nearly 60 percent since June 2014 to near six-year lows, the decline in energy company stocks alone has erased more than $263 billion in market value.[1] Oil companies and investors alike are scrambling to adjust to lower oil prices. Oil producers in particular are in need of sources of capital, while hedge funds and other alternative asset investors are searching for lucrative opportunities to put capital to work. An extended period of low oil prices will hit oil companies with a one-two punch, both reducing revenues and cutting off access to traditional bank and capital market financing. Oil companies are responding by downsizing or deferring capital projects, freezing wages and scaling back or delaying drilling programs, bringing active rig counts to their lowest level since August 2010.[2]...