We advise clients in oil and gas, including coal seam gas, power generation and transmission, water, and renewables, including solar and marine generation.

Holding Redlich was named as a leading firm in Sydney and Brisbane in the industry and peer rated guide “The ALB Guide: Energy & Resources”.

We have extensive knowledge and understanding of the regulatory frameworks and the business and legal issues faced by participants and projects in the energy and resources sector.

Our clients include explorers, producers, infrastructure owners and operators, project sponsors, constructors, financiers, suppliers, purchasers and governments.

Mergers & Acquisitions	Advising on, documenting and successfully completing mid-size M&A transactions in the energy and resources sector (including share and asset deals).
Relationship, operational and project specific documentation	Drafting and negotiation of relationship, operational and project specific complex and interrelated documents and transaction suites (including joint venture agreements, GTAs, operation and maintenance agreements, drilling contracts and services contracts).
Resource infrastructure development and operation	Advising on the licensing, regulatory, native title, carbon emissions and compliance aspects of the development and operation of exploration, production and transmission infrastructure.
Planning and environment	Advising on processes to obtain mining and petroleum titles and the interaction between resources and planning and environmental laws.
Capital raising and capital management	All aspects of structuring, documentation and implementation of private and public capital raisings, IPOs and capital management.
Transactions	Structuring, documentation and implementation of a wide variety of non-M&A transactions.
Compliance	Legislative and document compliance at corporate, business and entity levels.

 

Oil and gas

We act for a variety of participants in the oil and gas sector, both on the conventional and the non-conventional side, including coal seam gas.  We advise on the documentary, regulatory advice and dispute sides on all aspects from exploration through to development, production and sales arrangements.

Mining

Our experience in the mining sector includes advising in relation to procurement and supply contracts, process plant construction and extraction.  We worked with the peak industry body for contractors, the Australian Constructors Association in the development of its ‘Relationship Contracting” approach, and led industry discussion as to the issues faced by contractors and owners in commonly used extraction agreements in Australia.

Power and renewables

We advise on a variety of aspects of energy projects in the power generation and transmission and renewables sectors.

Specific examples of our experience include:

Oil and Gas

AJ Lucas Group:

• in 2010, the sale of a 15% interest in ATP 651P coal seam gas field to Toyota Tsusho Corporation for $98.5m and a US$105m private equity investment into a Lucas controlled UK unconventional gas explorer;
• in 2009, the sale to AGL Energy Ltd of a 70% interest in the Gloucester Basin for $259m and a 19.9% interest and options in Sydney Gas Limited for $25m; and
  
• in 2008, an investment into Sydney Gas Limited, including the issue of options and the entry of drilling services arrangements.

APA Group Limited:

• acquisition of the Central Ranges Pipeline, a 45% interest in the Goldfields Gas Transmission Pipeline and a 15% interest in the Carpentaria Pipeline;
• drafting and negotiating all NSW gas transportation agreements for the Moomba to Sydney Pipeline, Central West Pipeline and Central Ranges Pipeline, including long term (10 year) GTAs for the MSP with AGL and other shippers and power station off take agreements; and
  
• pipeline regulatory advice, including access arrangements.

BP Clean Fuels Project: 

• Acting for the contractor in respect of its claims for recovery of losses for acceleration, delay, breach of contract and misrepresentations arising out of a major mechanical services upgrade for a petrochemical plant.

Drillsearch Energy Ltd:

• acquisition of interests in various PELs and PPLs by purchase and by farm-in in the Cooper Basin;
• sale of interests in PELs and PPLs in the Cooper Basin, WA and PNG; and
  
• advising on and drafting farmin agreements and JOAs.

Easternwell Limited: 

• advising on drilling contracts; and
  
• advising a consortium of financiers in relation to financing for the construction of 4 jack-up oil rigs in Singapore.

Mining

• Anaconda Nickel (now Minara Resources) – acting in commercial litigation involving a proposed share acquisition, a joint venture and confidential information prepared as part of a pre-feasibility study;
• Beaconsfield Gold - advised in relation to disputes arising out of the construction of a gold processing plant;
• Downer EDI Mining (Roche) – development of a suite of supply agreements and consultant agreements;
• Gunpowder Mine - advised Leighton in relation to disputes arising in two areas - the mining contract and the process plant construction;
• Mt Keith Mine - advised WMC in relation to a dispute arising out of the mining contract;
• Mt Owen Mine - adviser to New Zealand contractor then contracted to the Mt Owen mine in relation to a range of issues arising out of the construction of the mine;
• Murrin Murrin Nickel/Cobalt Mining and Processing Plant Project - advising on risk audit and dispute risk management services and conducting commercial negotiations to minimise ultimate liability risk in respect of the design and performance of equipment in a major mineral processing application in Western Australia;
• Plutonic Resources – acting in relation to a dispute over a gold mine in Kalimantan;
• South Australian Zinc Smelter - acting for a contractor in relation to claims arising out of a major mechanical services upgrade project for a major lead and zinc smelting facility in South Australia; and
• acting for the claimant in a significant land mark claim in the Land Court of Queensland against a BHP led coal joint venture.

Power and renewables:

• AJ Lucas Group Ltd:  acquisition of power station assets from Babcock & Brown;
• Elemental Energy Technologies Ltd:  advising on capital raising and distribution and licensing arrangements for advanced marine turbine generation technology;
• EnergyAustralia:  advising on acquisition and disposal matters and property related matters;
• Ergon Energy:  advising on contracts tendering for the design and installation of grid connected photovoltaic solar electrical system and supporting structures in Cairns and Townsville;
• Integral Energy:  advising on major litigation;
• I-Sol Ventures GmbH and Solon AG of Germany:  advising on investment in CBD Energy Limited; and
  
• Sedgman Limited:  advising on a contract for the design and construction of a coal handling preparation plant at the Middlemount coal mine.