Oil & Gas

Our Oil & Gas team advises clients on complex cross‑border acquisitions, disposals, and investment structures, including farm‑ins and farm‑outs. They support energy companies with due diligence, transaction structuring, licensing, and fundraising, drawing on extensive experience in major oil and gas deals across international markets.

• Advised a Russian investment holding company on a $90m transfer of power generation assets.
• Advised a Russian petrochemical firm in its acquisition of an Austrian liquid gas wholesaler.
• Advised A-Tec Petro in relation to its farm-in to a deep-water oil block offshore Equatorial Guinea including full due diligence in relation to the asset.
• Advising Devonian Petroleum Ltd, a Kazakh oil exploration group on structuring, initial investment and US$30m fundraising.
• Advised Kazakhstan Utility Systems LLP on the acquisition of two Kazakh heat and power generation companies, Ust-Kamenogorsk CHP and CHP Sogrinskaya, from NYSE-listed AES Corporation.
• Advised Shell in relation to its financing of the purchase by a Finnish-based group of Shell’s oil refinery in Gothenburg (Sweden) (including substantial quantities of stored crude and other oil products) and most of its downstream business in Finland, Sweden and Norway, all on a fully secured vendor finance basis.
• Advised Devonian Petroleum Ltd, a Kazakh oil exploration group on structuring, initial investment and US$30m fundraising.
• Advised Kazakh fund, DBK, on a proposed US$3m investment into Kazakh oil industry equipment group.
• Coordinated IP due diligence, advice and contract negotiation for numerous Shell Ventures investments in Digital, New Energies and Oil & Gas third party technology companies or spin-outs.
• Advised the owners of a Siberian oil company on its potential sale to a Chinese state company.
• Advised the subsidiary of a major Russian oil group on a revised corporate structure involving the use of Spanish holding companies.
• Advised a French investor on a project relating to oil freight wagons in Russia and tax structuring using a Swedish holding company.
• Acted for China National Petroleum on the tax aspects of the acquisition of various target oil production companies in Syria, Russia, Kazakhstan and Africa.
• Advised Kazakh clients on the creation of an oil broking company in Kazakhstan using a foreign holding company and trust structure.
• Advised US interests on the sale of interests in a North Sea oil field situated on the UK Continental Shelf.
• Advised JX Nippon Oil in relation to the purchase, sale and exchange of several North Sea assets in the context of joint venture partners in severe financial distress.
• Advised Baiterek Venture Fund in carrying out due diligence investigations on a UK energy company.

Our lawyers support clients across the oil & gas sector with complex commercial contracts, advising on IP compliance, technology sharing, licensing, and collaborations. Their expertise spans major strategic investment funds, large‑scale technical services agreements, and international IP and technology negotiations.

• Project lead for creation and roll-out of Shell group-wide global online IP (brand & technology) compliance training programme.
• Supported Shell Ventures on identifying IP risks and opportunities when setting up multiple large strategic investment funds.
• Advised on IP/technology sharing, licensing and secondment arrangements for large scale enhanced technical services agreements between Shell and Kuwait Oil Company for three new oil and gas fields.
• Drafted and negotiated large framework exploration/geosciences Shell research collaboration and sponsorship agreements with Oxford and Heriot Watt Universities.
• Advised Shell on a cross-border oil well patent entitlement dispute in Hague first instance court and prolonged appeal settlement negotiations.
• Assisted with the preparation and implementation of IP strategies for the protection and commercialisation of various Shell technologies to support commercial and business objectives.

 Our Dispute Resolution lawyers act for clients across the oil & gas sector in high‑value international arbitrations and litigation. They handle LCIA, ICC, UNCITRAL and cross‑border disputes involving contract breaches, fraud, insolvency, rig and cargo claims, and major commodity, pipeline and infrastructure disagreements.

• Acted successfully for a Slovenian oil and gas company in a London-seated LCIA arbitration claim against a Croatian company for damages over $32 million arising out of a contract for the supply of petrol-related products.
• Acted for a Brazilian oil and gas company in a London-seated arbitration against a Norwegian rig.
• Acted for a Brazilian oil and gas company in one of the biggest recognition cases of cross-border insolvency in England and Wales.
• Advised a Nigerian oil company in ICC Arbitration proceedings concerning a claim for over US$300 million in connection with the purchase of an oil mining licence.
• Advised a joint venture company between a subsidiary of a Nigerian oil company and a company registered in Singapore in an LCIA arbitration with regard to a fraud dispute relating to a multimillion-pound purchase of oil rigs.
• Acted for Sunlink Energies and Resources Limited, a prominent player in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, in a significant legal dispute (US$1 billion) with The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), a subsidiary of the global Shell Group.
• Advised a joint venture company between a subsidiary of a Nigerian oil company and a company registered in Singapore in an LCIA arbitration with regard to a fraud dispute relating to a multimillion-pound purchase of oil rigs.
• Advised a Nigerian oil company in ICC Arbitration proceedings concerning a claim for over US$300 million in connection with the purchase of an oil mining licence.
• Acted for one of the world’s leading commodities traders on oil cargo disputes.
• Advised a commodities trader on a dispute concerning a $30m consignment of jet fuel impounded in the Middle East.
• Advised on claims arising out of the construction of a major liquid gas terminal in Europe.
• Acted on an arbitration concerning a long-term gas supply agreement.
• Acted on a dispute relating to the supply of oil rigs to the Middle East.
• Advised on LNG project disputes involving both states and contractors.
• Advised on long-term supply and refining contract disputes for a National Oil Company.
• Acted in a London litigation in a claim for default under a gasoline sales contract.
• Acted for sellers of Nigerian crude oil in claim for non-payment and bribery.
• Represented oil traders in a dispute in a London arbitration over the source of contamination as between shore tanks and ship tanks.
• Advising generally in relation to international contracts for the sale of goods in crude oil, refined products and coal.
• Acted for oil traders in sales disputes.
• Advising on force majeure clauses in oil and other commodities sales contracts and in charterparties in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our employment specialists advise senior individuals and multinational oil and gas companies on complex workforce matters, including contract breaches, unfair dismissal, whistleblowing, and negotiated exits. They also provide day‑to‑day guidance on grievances, disciplinaries, contracts, and policy work across the sector.

• Advised a board member of a Middle Eastern oil and gas company on breach of contract, unfair dismissal and whistleblowing claims – currently ongoing in the Employment Tribunal.
• Advised a senior employee on his exit from, and settlement agreement with, an Indian oil and gas company which ended up being an amicable departure
• Advised a senior executive of a multinational oil and gas company on the termination of his employment and unfair dismissal rights and currently negotiating amicable terms of exit.
• Advised a British multinational oil and gas company on day-to-day employment related matters, grievances, disciplinaries, contract of employment and policy work.

Our insurance and reinsurance specialists advise on complex coverage issues across global energy projects, including refinery expansions, drilling operations, turbine failures and major property damage claims. They guide clients through policy interpretation, due diligence, causation analysis, subrogation, and cross‑border disputes arising from large‑scale oil and gas infrastructure losses.

• Advised reinsurers under a CAR/EAR cover in relation to a series of losses to an extension of an existing oil refinery which included a water canal diversion project forming part of preparatory works in Colombia. Advised specifically on issues of pre-existing damage, non-disclosure, concurrent design and construction causation, gradual deterioration, mitigation of loss obligation and want of due diligence.
• Advised US and Canadian insurers in relation to coverage issues under an all risk policy arising out of physical damage to a drilling rig owned by a Canadian corporation during operations in Brazil. Advised in particular on issues of placement, definition of insured and property insured, the test required for want of due diligence and subrogation.
• Advised reinsurers under an EAR cover including Delay in Start-up in relation to damage to an electrical generator which was to be used in a project for the conversion of two existing gas turbines in Bolivia. Advised on spoliation of evidence issues arising from refusal to grant access on-site, assessed whether the insured’s conduct in the measures it took to test the generator prior to start-up satisfied the obligation to take reasonable precautions, and advised on the effect of a false declaration by the insured, wilful negligence, potential subrogation actions against German manufacturer and on the Bolivian law and political angle.
• Advised reinsurers under a CAR cover in respect of damage due to water leakage to a sulphur combustion furnace boiler in a sulphuric acid plant in Chile. Advised inter alia on possible subrogation action against manufacturers in China, technical analysis of the processes involved in the production of sulphur to identify root cause and exclusion of proportion of costs under LEG wordings.
• Advised on a major reinsurance dispute involving a mining operation disrupted due to flooding with multiple claims following property damage and business interruption, as well as on issues of recoverability of expenses and alleged obligations of reinsurers to indemnify non-contractual and other punitive losses, c. £300m in value.
• Advised on various Caribbean claims involving failed turbines and coverage under operational policies for damage and business interruption claims, including issues of applicability of foreign law and competing jurisdictional provisions, c. US$50m in value.
• Represented London market and European insurers on power plant disputes involving turbine failures and fires in West Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.

We advise on complex joint venture arrangements across the oil & gas sector, supporting clients on tax structures, investment agreements, JV financing, and partnerships with national and international oil companies.

• Assisted Shell future energies series B and C investments in Glasspoint Solar and associated joint development and option agreements.
• Advised Kazakh clients on the tax aspects of a joint venture with the Iranian National Oil Company.
• Advised Anadarko (joint venturing with Tullow Oil) in relation to the financing of a US$850 million FPSO for the Jubilee field in deep-water offshore Ghana.
• Acted for Woodside as the operator for the JV owners in respect of the development of a major LNG liquefaction project onshore and offshore Western Australia
• Advised on joint venture issues for the construction and operation of an FSRU in the Middle East.
• Advised Rosneft on its joint venture with Sonatrach, the Algerian state-owned oil and gas company, in relation to exploration and development of Block 245 South in Algeria.
• Advised BP on its US$20bn joint venture with Alfa, Access and Renova to form TNK-BP, one of the largest private oil companies in the world.

Our Oil & Gas team advises on long‑ and short‑term gas sales arrangements across major international LNG and gas infrastructure projects. Their experience includes project financing, storage and regasification facilities, EPC contracting, and resolving complex LNG‑related disputes for states, contractors, and multinational energy companies.

• Advised Irving Oil Company Ltd. (joint venture partner with Repsol YPF) in relation to a US$ 763 million project financing to build an LNG re-gasification terminal (and all related infrastructure) in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Additionally, advised Irving Oil in the project financing of up to US$120 million to build a third storage tank at this same facility.
• Advised on LNG storage facilities, advising EPC Contractor on EPC contracts in pre-bid and tendering stage. Negotiating all contracts associated with the project including EPC, major supply contracts and subcontracts. Advised on JV/consortium agreements, investment participation issues and corporate strategy regarding participation. [Project values between $100m and $500m.]
• Singapore LNG Terminal – expansion of a liquid natural gas receiving terminal. Advised the EPC contractor on ongoing contentious and non-contentious issues arising under the EPC contract. [Project value $800m.]
• Advised on LNG project disputes involving both states and contractors.

Our lawyers advise on midstream pipeline transportation arrangements, including gas and pipeline transportation agreements, capacity booking, tariff structures, and liability and indemnity frameworks.

• Drafted and negotiated aviation fuel-supply, trucking, and pipeline-access agreements.
• Advised Irving Oil in relation to a number of matters related to its transport of hydrocarbons including various time charter parties in relation to oil tankers and transportation of crude by rail in Canada and the United States.
• Advised on sabotage attacks on petroleum company installations pipelines and storage facilities in the Ogoni region in Nigeria.
• Advised Oikos Storage Limited (and its parent, Challenger) in relation to the refurbishment of its bulk hydrocarbons storage terminal located on the Thames River estuary and re-establishment of all related pipeline networks.
• Advised on an ICC arbitration brought by an Argentinean EPC contractor relating to the design and construction of a marine oil terminal.
• Singapore LNG Terminal – expansion of a liquid natural gas receiving terminal. Advising the EPC contractor on ongoing contentious and non-contentious issues arising under the EPC contract. [Project value $800m.]
• Advised ExxonMobil in relation to all ongoing aspects of the Chad–Cameroon pipeline project and the related Three Fields oilfield development in Chad, project financed by various commercial banks as well as the World Bank/IFC, EIB, COFACE and US Ex-Im Bank.
• Harweel Cluster Phases 2A and 2B Oman – construction of an oil and gas process plant. Providing support to the EPC contractor in respect of claims for extension of time and addition payment due to changes in front-end engineering design criteria and specification amendments. Supported the client in negotiations and preparation for dispute resolution process. [Project value $500m.]

We advise on core upstream agreements, including production sharing contracts, concession agreements, and exploration and production licences. Our work covers risk and reward allocation, cost recovery mechanisms, tax and royalty structures, stabilisation provisions, and local content requirements across global oil and gas projects.

• Advised US interests on the sale of interests in a North Sea oil field situated on the UK Continental Shelf.
• Advised Kazakh clients on the tax aspects of a joint venture with the Iranian National Oil Company.
• Advised JX Nippon Oil in relation to the purchase, sale and exchange of several North Sea assets in the context of joint venture partners in severe financial distress.
• Advised Rosneft on its joint venture with Sonatrach, the Algerian state-owned oil and gas company, in relation to exploration and development of Block 245 South in Algeria.
• Advised US-based Infracapital on various contractual issues based on its multi-utility connection works for universities for gas connections with statutory undertakers such as British Gas in the UK.
• Drafted terms and conditions governing supply, distribution, and risk allocation.

Keystone’s oil & gas lawyers advise on the development, refurbishment and operation of key storage and blending facilities. Their work includes negotiating long‑term tank storage agreements and supporting clients on major terminal upgrades and international storage projects across the oil and gas sector.

• Advised Oikos Storage Limited in relation to multiple long-term tank storage agreements, one with an oil major, and the related non-exclusive use of certain shared facilities as well as blending and additivation of hydrocarbon products.
• Advised on LNG storage facilities, advising EPC Contractor on EPC contracts in pre-bid and tendering stage. Negotiating all contracts associated with the project including EPC, major supply contracts and subcontracts. Advised on JV/consortium agreements, investment participation issues and corporate strategy regarding participation. [Project values between $100m and $500m.]
• Advised Oikos Storage Limited (and its parent, Challenger) in relation to the refurbishment of its bulk hydrocarbons storage terminal located on the Thames River estuary and re-establishment of all related pipeline networks.
• Reviewed and negotiated service and storage agreements for airport fuel facilities.
• Advised Irving Oil in relation to its establishment of a hydrocarbon storage and blending facility in the Netherlands.