As worldwide oil prices increase through growth in Asian demand and continuing Middle Eastern instability, Latin America is better placed than ever to assume greater importance within the global oil and gas framework – if its regulatory structures and financing opportunities will allow. This major one-day conference will examine and compare two Latin American jurisdictions striving for a new global importance in the field - Brazil and Colombia.

However, are the legal frameworks strong enough to allow the kind of investment needed for global players to emerge? Can the necessary infrastructure be built quickly enough? Will stronger environmental enforcement encourage sustainable growth? And where will the money come from?

Join a group of leading lawyers from in-house and private practice, within the region and outside, as well as noted financiers and regulators, discussing these key issues in Rio de Janeiro, the heart of Brazil's booming industry.

Conference co-chairs: David Asmus, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, and Paulo Valois, Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados

Ludmilla Corkey, Statoil

Tomas de la Calle, consultant and ex-subdirector of ANH

Andrew Derman, Thompson & Knight LLP

Jose Faveret, OGX

Pablo Gay-Ger, Repsol Brasil

Leonardo Lerner, COMGAS

Giovani Loss, Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados

John Michael, Modal Asset

Thales de Miranda, Petrobras

Leonardo Miranda, Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados

Luis Pacheco, Veirano Advogados

Luis Gabriel Pérez, Brigard & Urrutia Abogados

Alvaro Rodriguez, Posse Herrera Ruiz Abogados

Patricia Sawyer, Pacific Rubiales

Gustavo Suárez Camacho, Suarez Zapata Partners Abogados

José Valera, Mayer Brown LLP

9.00 arrival and registration

9.30 - Pre-salt legal and regulatory update

- Is the framework strong enough?
- Production-sharing agreements: the practical implications

Speakers: Paulo Valois, partner, Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados, Brazil
Pablo Gay-Ger, general counsel, Repsol Brasil

10.15 - Comparing legal frameworks: Colombia and Brazil

- Perspectives of both; similarities and main differences
- NOCs' role in the upstream in both countries

Speakers: Marcello Hallake, partner, Thompson & Knight LLP, US
Thales de Miranda, legal sector manager for corporate finance, Petrobras, Brazil
Scott Schwind, partner, Thompson & Knight LLP

11.00-11.30 Coffee

11.30 - Development of onshore and offshore infrastructure

- A growing industry in both countries
- Local content challenge and Petrobras’s role in procurement
- M&A and joint ventures
- Open access of exclusive use of infrastructure

Speakers: David Asmus, partner, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, US
Jose Faveret, general counsel, OGX, Brazil
Ludmilla Corkey, legal counsel, international E&P, Statoil, Brazil
Patricia Sawyer, corporate legal manager, Pacific Rubiales, Colombia

13.00 - Lunch

14.00 - Expanding the natural gas industry

- Brazil’s new gas regulations – paving the way for new investment?
- Colombian gas regulatory update
- Development of domestic market and LNG

Speakers: José Valera, partner, Mayer Brown LLP, US
Gustavo Suárez Camacho, partner, Suarez Zapata Partners Abogados, Colombia
Leonardo Lerner, general counsel, COMGAS, Brazil
Leonardo Miranda, partner, Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados, Brazil

15.30-16.00 - Coffee

16.00 - The environment challenge

- Post-Macondo effects on environmental and safety regulations in Brazil and Colombia
- The new role to be played by IBAMA and ANP / Ministry of the Environment and ANH

Speakers: Luis Pacheco, partner, Veirano Advogados, Brazil
Alvaro Rodriguez, partner, Posse Herrera Ruiz Abogados, Colombia

16.45 - Financing oil and gas deals in Brazil and Colombia

- The interplay between public and private financing
- Best financing approaches for an O&G company – debt, equity, private equity
- Local v international financing

Speakers: Giovani Loss, partner, Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados, Brazil
Luis Gabriel Pérez, partner, Brigard & Urrutia Abogados, Colombia
John Michael, Modal Asset, Brazil

18.00 Conference closes

Cocktail reception - the chairs are pleased to invite all delegates to a cocktail reception after the conference at the Caiçaras Club located in the Lagoa district.

A shuttle bus will be provided to drive the guests from the Marriott hotel to the club and back.