equipment, cables and piping as found inside of a modern industrial power plant

Energy, Infrastructure and Natural Resources

Supporting the energy and natural resources industry worldwide

Leading players in the energy and natural resources industry count on the experience and reach of Dechert’s lawyers. We help our clients pursue their strategic objectives around the world as well as helping them to respond effectively to the changing shape of the industry.

The energy and natural resources industries are undergoing innovative advances that present complex legal challenges, including an accelerating transition and the growing impact of sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) on projects and investing. We regularly advise clients worldwide on matters across the full scope of the energy mix, including: oil & gas, liquefied natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, solar, biofuels, hydroelectric, geothermal, hydrogen and other natural sources. We provide a "cradle-to-grave" service through the entire project lifecycle from financing, project development (including Public-Private Partnerships), procurement and construction, asset acquisitions and disposals and disputes.

We have a network of cross-practice energy lawyers spanning Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Using our knowledge of international best practices as well as local requirements, we are able to bring practical solutions to energy and natural resources companies across the globe and at all stages of the supply chain.

Our areas of experience include investments, mergers and acquisitions, strategic joint ventures, fund raising and financing, project development and construction, disputes including litigation and arbitration, international trade including sanctions, compliance and anti-corruption/bribery advice as well as sustainability and ESG requirements for companies in the following industry sectors: oil and gas, mining and metals, renewable energy, power and infrastructure.

Oil and Gas

Dechert advises clients on the complex legal, commercial and technical issues associated with upstream, midstream and downstream developments and transactions worldwide. Our clients include oil and gas companies (majors, independents and national oil companies), as well as governments around the world. We also represent contractors, traders, investors (including private equity houses and investment funds) and financial institutions active in the industry.

Clients rely on Dechert to handle the full spectrum of transactions and issues they encounter in the upstream, midstream, downstream and oilfield services sectors of the oil and gas industry. We have successfully helped our clients with:

Licensing and ownership rights
Exploration and production, including production-sharing agreements (PSAs) and joint operating agreements (JOAs)
Oil, gas and product pipelines, terminals and storage facilities
Drilling contracts, offshore rig, platform and vessel charters
Acquisitions and disposals including farm-ins/outs
Gas processing plants
Refining, transportation and marketing of petroleum products
LNG plants, facilities, regasification and shipping
Petrochemical plants and facilities
Oil and gas field services
Litigation including expropriation, sanctions and contractual disputes

Mining and Metals

Dechert’s lawyers advise mining companies (from multinationals to juniors), as well as financial institutions, contractors and other related parties on all aspects of their mining operations and investments worldwide, throughout the entire life cycle of mining and metals production. Our lawyers also assist clients engaged in post-extraction processing and manufacturing, as well as in commodities trading. We have extensive experience advising clients, both domestically and cross-border. Consequently, we understand the commercial concerns and negotiating positions of all parties on a project and are able to bring this experience to bear.

In particular, we have notable experience assisting clients in:

Acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and earn-ins
Regulatory compliance and corporate governance matters
Sustainability and ESG matters
Royalty and streaming matters
Permit issues
Restructurings
Project development and project financing
Consultation with Indigenous groups
Mining disputes including responses to government enforcement actions, bilateral investment treaty arbitration and expropriation and disputes concerning construction, payment, supply, royalties and investments
Internal and government investigations
Environmental assessments

Renewables

In the renewable energy sector, change comes quickly – and constantly. A market once dominated by oil, gas and other conventional energy sources has been replaced by cleaner and greener energies due to increasing demand. We assist clients with a broad range of generation and distribution projects across the full mix of renewable energy types. We have experience in structuring of investment funds which focus on investing in renewable energy projects. We understand that developing effective and efficient solutions to growing power demands requires innovative solutions. Our lawyers also advise clients on technology licensing matters.

Our interdisciplinary teams help clients create green and sustainable energy and cleantech projects in areas including solar, hydroelectric, hydrogen, capturing carbon credits, wind and geothermal.

Our team frequently advises clients on all aspects of renewable projects, including:

Greenfield acquisitions and development
Environmental assessments and permitting
Project development and project finance
Consultation with Indigenous groups
Construction, including EPC and O&M agreements
Regulatory issues
Power purchase agreements
Tax structuring
Trading and marketing
Disputes including litigation and arbitration

Power

Our lawyers have a deep understanding of the technical, business and political aspects of the power sector. This enables us to achieve our clients’ business objectives by anticipating and resolving the industry-specific issues that matter to them.

Our clients include:

Power producers and generators
Electricity transmission operators
Public utilities and governments
Industrial energy consumers
EPC contractors
Project developers
Private equity and strategic investors
Venture capital firms
Financial institutions
Sponsors
Lenders
Energy traders

We also represent the companies that provide the technology, services and products that are essential to the relevant sector.

Infrastructure

Dechert advises on all aspects of major infrastructure projects internationally, including PPP, concession agreements, structuring, planning, development, construction, financing and management. We have considerable expertise advising clients in relation to planning matters including site appraisals, major planning applications, environmental impact assessments, highways, waterways and licensing matters, planning and infrastructure agreements and environmental indemnities.

We have experience in developing and negotiating design and construction contracts, and regularly bring this expertise to bear in relation to infrastructure transactions. Our lawyers also manage proceedings concerning claims litigation and alternative dispute resolution.

Transmission infrastructure
Minining
Civil infrastructure
Telecommunications
Ports, roads and railways
Satellites

Key Contact

Maria Tan Pedersen

Partner Singapore
+65 6730 6963 maria.pedersen@dechert.com

Chrysaor Holdings Limited on the US$3 billion acquisition of a package of assets in the UK North Sea from Shell UK Limited and its affiliates.
MOL Oil and Gas Plc against the Republic of Croatia in ICSID Case No. ARB/13/32 arising from Croatia’s treatment of our client’s over US$1.5 billion investment in a publicly traded oil & gas company. We also advised MOL against the Republic of Croatia in a parallel UNCITRAL case. The tribunal dismissed every claim brought by Croatia, and ordered Croatia to pay MOL's legal fees and costs.
Kinross Gold Corporation on over US$4 billion in M&A transactions in Russia, including on its proposed acquisition of Chulbatkan, a high-quality, heap leach development project in Russia, from N-Mining Limited for a total fixed consideration of US$283 million and on its US$368 million acquisition of companies owning the rights to the high-grade Dvoinoye deposit and the Vodorazdelnaya exploration and mining licenses in Chukotka.
The Republic of Ecuador in an ICSID arbitration against Occidental Petroleum concerning the termination of a production sharing agreement.
Michael Cherney in a dispute against Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska regarding his claim to a multibillion-dollar stake in Rusal, the world’s largest aluminium company. This was one of the most substantial commercial disputes to be heard before the Commercial Court in London.
OAO Mechel, the Russian metals and mining conglomerate, on its acquisition of the U.S. privately owned Bluestone Coal Corporation, for US$425 million plus shares, which involved the issuance of preferred shares totaling 15% of Mechel’s charter capital, as well as the US$425 million disposal of the Voskhod Mining Plant (in Khromtau, Kazakhstan) and Tikhvin Ferroalloy Plant (in Tikhvin, Leningrad Region, Russia) to Turkey’s Yildirim Group via Mechel’s wholly owned subsidiary, Oriel Resources.
OCI Solar Power on its project financing of a 400MW solar power plant development project in the City of San Antonio, the largest municipal utility solar project in the United States.
The Head of State of a West African government in a worldwide corruption investigation in Africa, the United States and Europe further to allegations of bribery and corruption when mining rights were granted.
KazMunaiGaz Finance B.V. in connection with a transaction for the advance sale and purchase of crude oil.
Sinopec in its US$11 billion strategic joint venture with SIBUR of the Amur petrochemical facility, projected to be the world’s largest basic polymer production facility.
Manila Water Company, Inc. in its debut issuance of US$500 million 4.375% Senior Sustainability Notes to be listed on the Singapore Exchange. This transaction was the first ASEAN sustainability bond by a corporate issuer out of the Philippines and was awarded "Best Sustainability Bond - Corporate" in the Philippines by The Asset Country Awards 2020.
gridX, the leading provider of smart grid intelligence in the energy industry with offices in Munich and Aachen, Germany, on the sale of a majority stake to energy group E.ON.