Biography: Oil and Gas

Frank Alexander is a partner in the Calgary office of Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP. Frank Alexander practises exclusively in the area of international energy law (petroleum projects outside of Canada). He has 30 years of experience in petroleum projects worldwide and is the leader of FMC's International Petroleum Practice Group. Frank has assisted with international energy projects in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Central America, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and the former Soviet Union. His practice includes government petroleum contracts (including PSCs), JOAs, farm out agreements, AMI agreements, unitisation agreements, gas sales agreements, study and bid agreements, and structuring for security of investment (inclusive of investment treaty and dispute resolution considerations) and tax efficiency.

Frank's clients have included some of the largest integrated international energy companies, such as Amoco, Conoco-Phillips, CPC, Unocal and Texaco, as well as smaller ones that are new to the international arena. Frank negotiated and drafted the first gas sales agreement in the history of Pakistan based on international fuel parity and he also negotiated and drafted one of the first government petroleum contracts to be signed in the Caspian region. He also undertakes upstream petroleum regime design work for host countries.

Frank acted as a counsel to HRT Participações em Petróleo SA (Brazilian), having the overall responsibility for its US$700 million acquisition of UNX Energy Corp, by way of plan of arrangement and issuance by HRT of listed global depositary shares in consideration therefor. Frank also serves as an arbitration counsel (including ICSID matters), has been called upon to serve as an arbitrator, and regularly acts as an expert witness in connection with international arbitration and court proceedings regarding international petroleum contract matters.

In addition to his international energy work for clients, Frank teaches international petroleum contracts and negotiations at in-house courses for clients, seminars and universities around the world. He was one of the founders of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN), which now has over 2,500 members worldwide, and currently serves on the board of directors of the AIPN and also as the AIPN regional chapter director for Canada. Frank is also involved with drafting AIPN model contracts, and is the author of several books and articles on international petroleum law. In 2007, Frank appeared on the BNN television discussing Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto investments in Mongolia. Frank is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Washington State Bar and the Florida State Bar.