Editorial: Oil & Gas

01 June 2007

This chapter identifies 227 lawyers from 54 jurisdictions.

GLOBAL LEADERS

Vinson & Elkins LLP fields an impressive eight partners from four separate jurisdictions. The firm’s early roots lie firmly in the oil and gas arena and it remains true to these today, boasting an enviable list of blue chip clients that include BG Group, Shell International, Halliburton Company and Kellogg Brown & Root, and Total Gas & Power North America. Jay Kelley practises from the Houston office and comes recommended for LNG terminalling and supply projects. Kelley represented a large energy company with the procurement and marketing of LNG imported into the US from Trinidad and Equatorial Guinea. Douglas Bland’s M&A and projects expertise was noted – he represented Direct Energy in its separate acquisitions of three gas-fired, combined cycle electric generating facilities: the Bastrop Energy Center, the Frontera Generating Facility, and the Paris Energy Center. Managing partner of the firm Joe Dilg was praised as “top flight” and a “class act”. V&E is also strong in Washington, DC where David Andril features. Andril is recommended for his strengths in regulatory and transactional work and for his “in-depth knowledge of LNG terminals and contracts”. Beijing-based Paul Deemer is “well known in the industry” and “particularly good for upstream oil and gas matters”. Deemer represented Chinese clients in their US$1.4 billion purchase of companies owning the oil and pipeline interests of Ecuadorian company EnCana Corporation. James Cuclis, who resides in the firm’s Hong Kong office, was also consistently recommended. V&E’s London office is home to the “excellent” Michael Doble and the “outstanding” Alexander Msimang. Doble’s Middle Eastern expertise was brought to the attention of researchers. Among other matters he advised a major oil company on its interest in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. On the transactional side, researchers heard glowing appraisals of Msimang’s practice: “people say great things about him.” Widespread admiration for its contingent of partners puts Vinson & Elkins in a commanding position. Baker Botts LLP is another Texan firm with an international footprint, boasting eight lawyers in three jurisdictions. David Asmus is partner in charge of the firm’s global oil and gas practice – they are praised collectively as a “first rate group” with “a deep bench”. Asmus, who emerges as the most nominated individual, reportedly “knows his upstream all the way through to LNG”. Rated as a “very skilled negotiator”, Asmus has represented BP, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Marathon Oil Corporation and Japan Energy. Head of Baker Botts’ Russia/CIS practice group, George Goolsby (based in the Moscow and Houston offices), posesses “high-level experience”. He was actively involved in the South Caucasus Gas Pipeline Project. Michael Darden was praised as “very personable and a good addition to the team” following his move from Nuevo Energy Company, a client of the firm. Darden has strong international credentials having worked on petroleum exploration, development, and production projects in several regions. Baker Botts’ prominence in Washington, DC is illustrated by Bruce Kiely and Thomas Eastment, who were consistently recommended – Kiely for LNG and Eastment for his representation of clients before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Internationally, David Renton affords the firm a presence in the Hong Kong section. He has represented the likes of the Hong Kong and China Gas Company, Petronet LNG and Sumitomo Chemical Company. Antony Higginson was described as “a class act”and a “traditional oil and gas specialist”. Sean Korney, head of the energy practice group for the firm’s Gulf offices, emerges as one of the UAE’s most nominated practitioners. Highlights include representing a seller of assets in Tunisia and the acquirer and developer of assets in Yemen.

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP builds on strong foundations in the previous edition and now boasts seven nominees in total. Three of these reside in the Houston office, where George Kutzschbach, co-chair of the firm’s energy practice group, leads in the voting. Kutzschbach boasts an “excellent reputation in Africa and the Middle East”. The “outstanding” Randel Young, a fluent Spanish speaker, was praised for his in-depth knowledge of the Central and South American markets. Brian Bradshaw was rated as “quite exceptional” by one prominent source; his 2006 lateral move has helped to boost Fulbright’s profile in these pages. Steven Pfeiffer chairs the firm’s executive committee from Washington, DC and has a broad based practice. From his base in Hong Kong, Michael Arruda focuses on the Chinese and Central Asian regions. Rated by respondents as “very experienced”, he has both transactional and litigation expertise. David Moroney in London boasts “a wealth of experience”, having spent over 35 years working in more than 50 countries across the globe. Moroney is joined by Susan Farmer who impresses with the depth of her LNG expertise. Among other matters she advised a major UK gas marketer in the negotiation of an LNG purchase contract and access to the Isle of Grain expansion capacity.

John Cogan heads the global projects group at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Cogan won considerable acclaim from our sources, who mentioned “vast experience, technical knowledge” and “expertise in handling and making projects actually happen”. Others complimented his LNG practice, citing his work for US parties in Algeria in their dealings with a government oil entity relating to sale and purchase agreements, transportation agreements and dispute resolution. Jack Langlois heads the firm’s energy projects practice in Houston and also comes highly recommended for both domestic and international work. Among other matters Langlois represented a Canadian company in its negotiations relating to the acquisition of a number of interstate natural gas pipelines. James Langdon appears in Washington, DC (he splits his time between the US capital, Texas and Moscow). This “an excellent practitioner” highlights the strength of the group at Akin Gump. The “highly professional” Douglas Glass in London brings to the table an excellent reputation, having represented an international energy company in relation to its US$500 million acquisition of upstream assets in the Russian Federation.

King & Spalding LLP is another of the area’s high flyers, with six nominees. Philip Weems heads the firm’s global energy practice in Dubai, having relocated from Houston in early 2007. Weems is seen as one of the world’s premier LNG lawyers – from 1999 to 2005 he served as president of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN). John Bowman is rated as “one of the most highly regarded energy disputes lawyers around.” Kenneth Culotta in Houston is “very bright and well thought of for LNG and general oil and gas” and is joined by three further partners in the city – Jose Valera, Daniel Rogers and Doak Bishop. Bishop is a dispute resolution specialist who “knows all about oil and gas, investment and the general principles of law”. He was also described as “first class, top of the line”. Rogers is also well regarded, particularly for transactional and projects-related work; Valera was noted for exploration and production work in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

Thompson & Knight LLP emerges from our research as one of the practice area’s most respected outfits. Andrew Derman leads the firm’s international energy group and comes recommended for transactional matters. “One of the lead educators in the area of oil and gas agreements”, Derman is said to have “lots of energy”. Skip Maryan boasts over 30 years’ experience in the industry and is well known for his upstream work. Ben Welmaker is a “great guy with an excellent reputation”, particularly in West Africa, where he helped a client prepare the documentation to farm out interests in two offshore blocks in Nigeria. Hassan Yassine joined the firm in 2003, following his tenure as a director of Sonatrach, the Algerian national oil and gas company. He adds capabilities in the Middle East and African regions. Thompson & Knight has a foothold in the Latin America as well, with Alexandre Chequer receiving sufficient nominations to appear in the Brazil section. Chequer specialises in representing oil and gas companies in transactions on both the South American and African continents.

Denton Wilde Sapte LLP’s contingent in London is led by Charles Wood, rated as “England’s leading oil and gas regulation lawyer”. Wood was the adviser to Transco responsible for drafting the UK gas network code and was praised by one source as “a central figure in the UK’s privatisation regulations”. Danielle Beggs (also in London) is an “excellent all rounder” having advised on projects in both the upstream and downstream sectors. The “excellent” Marla Valdez remains one of Kazakhstan’s leading practitioners; she is “top, without question” for oil and gas matters, according to one of our sources. Doran Doeh, the managing partner of the Moscow office, scored highly in the voting.

Jonathan Hines of Dewwy & LeBoeuf LLP has a strong reputation in Russia for upstream matters, but was also recommended for transactional and pipeline work in Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Gavin Watson is based in Dubai. Watson’s transactional and finance expertise led him represent an international LNG company on its arrangements for the sale and purchase of gas for markets in Palestine. Jean-Claude Petilon, who practises in the firm’s Paris office, is said to be an authority on the African markets. On the other side of the Atlantic, Steven Davis appears in the New York section thanks to a strong approval rating. Davis currently serves as chairman of the firm, having held the position of head of the firm's energy practice. Charles Moore in Houston served as general counsel of the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 1981 to 1983 and consequently has the reputation as an “authority on FERC matters”. He is also a “very good oil and gas litigator”.

Canadian Resources

Other markets outside the US continue to thrive. Canada is among the most active. Here, Bennett Jones LLP fields three nominees from its Calgary office. Robert Booth leads the firm in terms of nominations. One prominent corporate counsel who worked with him remarked: “He was excellent, hard working and very accurate in managing the different skills available within the firm for our company. Highly recommended.” Lawrence Smith – who founded the regulatory department – is lead regulatory counsel to the province of Alberta’s largest gas distributor. Donald Greenfield is coleader of the firm’s energy group and comes recommended for his corporate knowledge. Macleod Dixon LLP also enjoys a prominent market position, with two highly regarded individuals listed in these pages. Jay Park once again emerges as the country’s most nominated individual, attracting nominations from all corners of the globe. Park advised the Kuwait Oil Company on its proposed Operating Service Agreement for fields in the north of the country; he is reputedly “someone you’d want on your side of the table”. Robert Engbloom completes this “excellent” duo. His “strong suit” is his securities practice. The firm is also represented in Russia and Venezuela thanks to Aydin Jebrailov and Elisabeth Eljuri. As a prominent figure in the AIPN, Eljuri has an international following; our sources were all agreed on her “positive contribution” and “excellence”. Jebrailov appears in the publication for the first time. He has a background in both oil and gas and mining.

A number of other firms field two individuals in Canada, Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP among them. Richard Neufeld fared particularly well in the research and is known for his regulatory and environmental expertise. Partner Michael Hurst was praised for his “commercially minded” advice relating to the oil and gas industry. Jack Thrasher of Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP has an “excellent reputation” on the corporate side; and the early 2006 hire of Robert Desbarats ensures the firm a formidable commercial profile. Kemm Yates of Stikeman Elliott LLP continues to draw praise for the strength of his regulatory practice, as does partner David Holgate. Don Davies of McCarthy Tétrault LLP also emerges as a respected player. Highlights include acting as counsel to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers with regard to pipeline toll proceedings. The “excellent” John Cuthbertson represents Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP at the top of the Canadian research. Lawson Lundell LLP boasts Chris Sanderson – another “high flying” regulatory lawyer – who represented an oil refinery in connection with an application before the National Energy Board for priority pipeline access.

A Truly Global Practice - South and Central America

Central and South America provide a large number of practitioners for the guide, with Brazil particularly well represented. Newly formed Schmidt Valois Miranda Ferreira e Agel Advogados is the only firm with two nominees in the country: Antônio Luís de Miranda Ferreira and Rogerio de Miranda. De Miranda Ferreira is well grounded in the industry following a 17- year spell with Shell Brazil, including 10 years as general legal counsel. Sources noted his strong downstream practice and “solid experience”. José Emilio Nunes Pinto was also consistently praised for the strength of his practice. We identify six highly skilled lawyers in Argentina, led in the voting by Pablo Alliani of Estudio Bruzzon & Associados, currently vice-chair and treasurer of the International Bar Association’s section of energy, environment, natural resources and infrastructure law. Jose Alfredo Martinez de Hoz Jr of Pérez Alati Grondona Benites Arntsen & Martinez de Hoz was praised as the “top dog for oil and gas work”; and Justo Norman of Maciel Norman & Asociados was also consistently endorsed. Rogelio López-Velarde is the “top guy” from a group of five highly rated lawyers in Mexico. His firm, López Velarde Heftye y Soria SC, is particularly strong in the energy arena. Richardo Indacochea is a recognised name in the Bolivian market. He founded his own firm in 1991 and played a role in drafting the gas transportation contracts to Brazil between the state-owned YPFB, Petrobas and Gas Transboliviano SA. Jorge Perez-Taiman of Muniz Ramirez Perez-Taiman & Luna-Victoria Abogados is “the premier oil and gas lawyer in Peru”. The firm served as local counsel to both Ashmore Energy International and PROMIGAS SAESP in their agreement with Suez Tractabel SA to purchase 100 per cent of the capital stock of Gas Natural de Lima y Callao SA.

Australia

The Australian contingent has grown to 12 in this year’s edition. David Maloney of Allens Arthur Robinson is again one of the country’s leading lights. Clients have included BHP Billiton Petroleum, Osaka Gas, The Australian Gas Light Company and TransCanada Pipelines to name but a few. Ken MacDonald also has an excellent reputation. Gavin MacLaren, who heads the firm’s southeast Asian practice from Singapore, adds an international dimension to AAR’s listing. Recent highlights include working on the Bayu Undan LNG and liquids project in the Timor Gap, situated in coastal waters north of Australia. Minter Ellison can also boast two inclusions in the Australian section – Andrew Thompson and Denis Gately. Managing partner of the firm’s Hong Kong office Sam Ferrands played a leading role in Australia’s largest ever single income export deal to date, the contract to supply LNG to the Guangdong Termainal project, which was valued at US$13 billion over 25 years. Peter Rose of Johnson Winter & Slattery was also consistently recommended in the Australian market. The firm advised Santos on its unsolicited AUS$606 million cash takeover bid and subsequent AUS$960 million restructured merger-demerger proposal for Queensland Gas Company. Another worthy nominee is Geoff Simpson, who heads Clayton Utz’s national upstream energy and resources group.

UK

The UK market continues to flourish with 20 individuals selected for inclusion. As previously mentioned, a number of US firms such as Akin Gump, Vinson & Elkins, Fulbright & Jaworski and Baker Botts have made inroads into the market. Several other homegrown firms also demonstrated their excellence in the voting. Herbert Smith’s Paul Griffin received more nominations than any other practitioner in London and was variously described as “experienced”, “well known” and “highly respected”. Grif- fin heads the firm’s global energy practice and has represented Apache Corporation in the purchase of the Forties oil field from BP. The firm is also particularly strong in Francophone Africa thanks to the inclusion of Stéphane Brabant in Paris. Brabant’s clients have included British Gas, PetroSA, Dana Petroleum and Sasol in relation to investments in the region. The “outstanding” Geoffrey Picton-Turbervill heads the energy team at Ashurst. Sources praised his knowledge of the Indian market; and he was part of an Ashurst team that advised Burren Energy on its US$155 million acquisition of upstream interests in the Republic of Congo. Ashley Wright in Singapore adds an international dimension to the firm’s listing, having joined from an in-house legal position at BP. Paul Stacey at Slaughter and May is “a fantastic energy all-rounder”.

Western Europe

Thierry Lauriol of JeantetAssociés has quite a following in our research, with one source naming him “one of the very best, quite outstanding”. The Netherlands is also home to a number of leading lights. De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek boasts two of the country’s top nominees – Jaap de Keijzer and Vincent Aarts. De Keijzer was described by one respondent as “excellent for upstream oil and gas contracts” and also for corporate work in the energy sector. Aarts is recommended for regulatory advice. Harm Kerstholt, who heads the energy and utilities group at NautaDutilh, emerges as one of the country’s highest ranking individuals. His energy trading practice was noted; and he counts companies such as Vermillion Energy Trust, APX, Duke Energy Europe and Woodside petroleum among his clients. Loyens & Loeff is represented on the following pages by Max Oosterhuis, whose gas regulation and energy trading credentials were brought to the attention of researchers.

THE MIDDLE EAST

Firms are increasingly attracted to the opportunities on offer in the United Arab Emirates. A number of players deserve a mention here. Bimal Desai in the Dubai office of Allen & Overy LLP has a well respected projects practice and recently advised the project company on the Qalhat LNG project. Shearman & Sterling LLP boasts two inclusions in the UAE: Tim Pick and Philip Dundas. Pick has worked for Woodside Petroleum, Dolphin Energy Limited and Total and was described by one high-profile source as “very good, very commercial [and someone who] gets on well with clients”. Dundas is managing partner of the firm’s Abu Dhabi office and has worked extensively for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. Ali Abedi is the leading individual in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. The firm of Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co boasts the only two inclusions in Oman – Mansoor Jamal Malik and John Alasdair Jeffrey. Gebran Majdalany in Qatar is highly praised. The publication also identifies Torossian Avanessian & Associates in Iran, where Vrej Torossian received recommendations from some of the practice area’s most respected figures.

Asia

Hong Kong is also well represented in the publication. Stuart Salt remains the pick of the bunch, particularly for finance. Hendrik Gordenker at White & Case LLP leads the research in Japan, where he is said to be “absolutely top for LNG”. Gordenker worked as part of a White & Case team representing the project sponsors in the US$2.6 billion financing of the Tangguh LNG project in Indonesia. White & Case also features in the Singapore research thanks to the strong showing of Brad Roach. Roach was recommended for his sponsor-based practice, although, like Gordenker, he is particularly prominent in the LNG arena, having advised LNG Japan Corporation and BG. Soewito Suhardiman Eddymurthy Kardono has two nominees in Indonesia – Darrell Johnson and Michael Twomey. Both come highly recommended for corporate work. Widyawan, at his own firm, is saluted as the “pre-eminent Indonesian oil and gas lawyer”. He received more recommendations than any other lawyer in the country.

Western Africa

Nigeria provides six lawyers for the following pages. Gbenga Oyebode received more nominations than any other practitioner and his firm, Aluko & Oyebode, is rated as “the go-to firm for upstream acquisitions”. Sola Adepetun was also consistently recommended at Adepetun Caxton-Martins & Agbor Olukonyinsola. Adepetun maintains a broad-based practice dealing with concession licensing and acquisitions as well as taxation, joint venture agreements and project structuring and financing. Myma Belo-Osagie of Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie is “top class” and Remi Okunlola at Perchstone & Graeys comes highly recommended. Okunlola was lead solicitor in the third party financing of the US$1 billion Nigeria LNG Plus project.

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