Energy & Natural Resources - Overview
Our experience includeds representing clients across a broad cross-section of the energy and natural resources sectors, including:
- international funding sources;
- developers;
- a listed multi-national oil exploration and production company; and
- equipment producers and suppliers.
We act for both UK and international clients on matters relating to:
- electricity and infrastructure;
- oil and gas;
- waste and renewable energy sources and related regulatory and competition matters;
- financing for projects;
- project planning;
- commercial property;
- environmental;
- construction;
- international arbitration and litigation; and
- health and safety matters (both contentious and non-contentious)
Our aim is to provide clients with specialist advice based on knowledge drawn from our experience acting on various matters in the energy sector. We are also supported by the expertise of our colleagues in commercial and corporate law, litigation and arbitration, banking, regulatory compliance and competition matters, commercial property, intellectual property rights, taxation and employment. Our clients include power station owners, operators and suppliers, utilities companies, mining and oil and gas exploration companies, financial institutions and investor funds and service providers as well as contractors and other bodies producing and supplying equipment and fuel sources to the energy sector.
Specialist expertise:
- land acquisition & development projects;
- planning & environment;
- project development;
- construction and health & safety;
- finance for projects (acting for both lenders and developers, and joint ventures);
- regulatory compliance & competition law;
- taxation;
- intellectual property rights;
- banking & finance;
- corporate affairs, mergers & acquisitions;
- commercial agreements;
- employment;
- arbitration and litigation; and
- dispute resolution & mediation.
Energy & Natural Resources Team
For more detailed information on our capabilities within this sector please contact any one of the team listed above.
Useful links:
http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/energy/offshore-wind-energy/ see links on right hand side of this page to A guide to offshore wind farm and also Offshore renewable energy (UK);
http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/energy/wave-and-tidal/; see links on right hand side of page to Pentland Firth and Orkney water - how the projects could be built;
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/bioenergy/strategy/strategy.aspx - direct link to Bioenergy strategy;
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/bioenergy/bio_finance/bio_finance.aspx - direct link to financial incentives for the generation of heat and electricity;
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/wind/wind.aspx - direct link to section re wind power
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/network/network.aspx - direct link to section re developing our future electricity network
http://hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/control_framework_decc250311.pdf - direct link to Control framework for DECC levy-funded spending produced by the UK treasury
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/call_ren_inves/call_ren_inves.aspx - direct link to A Call for evidence on barriers to securing long-term contracts for independent renewable generation investment
Case Studies - a snapshot
- Actingfor a government-backed venture capital fund, which is one of the largest public sector funds of its kind in Europe with a total value of £185 million pounds, in relation to funding of cleaner fuel production, electricity and heat generation, recycling and water and waste management treatment. Our work to date has included negotiating with various public sector entities and local authority pension funds and advising on various related matters including procurement, government grants and regulatory and compliance matters.
- Advising a client on the setting up of an innovative investment fund the object of which is to trade in carbon credits derived from more efficient African cook stoves. The carbon credits will be sold on the verified/ voluntary emission reductions ("VERs") market and are backed by the Swiss based Gold Standard.　
- Acting in an international arbitration between two multinational oil companies arising from alleged breach of the warranties of a share sale agreement, in which the alleged loss and damage was said to arise from numerous underlying third party claims against the company whose shares had been the subject of the sale.
- Advising　a licensed electricity supplier on an exclusive　framework　agreement　(and associated call off contracts)　with a multinational civil engineering group for the installation of　up to　1 million electric vehicle charging points across the UK with a total roll-out cost in the region of £2 billion.
- Acting for a clientin relation to an energy from waste facility with an average annual capacity of 585,000 tonnes, forming an important strategic river-served waste management facility for London.　 It helps the capital keep over 100,000 HGVs off its congested roads each year.　 Up to 132Kv will be available for export to the national grid.
- Acting for a client in relation to acquisition of a company that is acquiring a 79MW energy from waste and biomass power station. We are advising on related regulatory, infrastructure, taxation, commercial property and planning and environmental matters.
