
About Ben
Ben is an energy lawyer with a particular focus on the oil and gas sector. He has advised clients on the development, sale, purchase and financing of oil and gas assets across the value chain, from wellhead to market. Ben has particular experience in relation to African transactions, having advised on deals in more than 25 jurisdictions across the continent.
Experience
Recent Notable Matters
Storegga Geotechnologies Ltd. — acquisition of Pale Blue Dot Energy, the lead developer of the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage Project at the St Fergus Gas Terminal in the UK
Anglo Tunisian Oil & Gas Limited — acquisition of Medco Tunisia, a seven asset upstream oil and gas business in Tunisia, including the associated acquisition financing
Genel Energy plc — in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on its farm-in to the Chevron operated Sarta and Qara Dagh blocks, the development and commercialization of its Miran and Bina Bawi gas discoveries for export to Turkey, the acquisition of OMV's interest in the Bina Bawi Block, the farm-down of the Chia Surkh block, crude transportation and marketing arrangements
Savannah Petroleum plc — material aspects of its ongoing takeover of the Seven Energy Nigerian business, including relating to the re-organisation of the Uquo onshore gas field and the Accugas gas processing facility; on crude oil commercialisation arrangements in Niger
Anglo African Oil and Gas plc — Tilapia field operations in the Republic of Congo
HKN Energy (part of the Perot Group) — operatorship of the Sarsang field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Impact Oil & Gas Ltd — expansion of its African exploration portfolio, including the acquisition of upstream blocks in Gabon, Namibia, the Senegal-Guinea Bissau AGC and Guinea Bissau; the farm-down of the AGC block to Woodside Energy; its equity fundraising
Hunt Oil Company — operatorship of the Ain Sifni field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Rhino Resources, Ltd — building of an African upstream exploration portfolio in South Africa, Namibia, Comoros Islands and Senegal-Guinea Bissau AGC
Ophir Energy plc — $2 billion floating LNG project offshore Equatorial Guinea, including host government arrangements, LNG sales agreements, chartering agreements, joint venture arrangements, project financing and construction
Trident Energy Management Limited — acquisition financing to acquire, in partnership with Kosmos, Hess’ business in Equatorial Guinea
GAIL (India) — LNG cargo swap transactions around the globe
Chevron — exit from Mauritania
Gran Tierra Energy, Inc. — crude sales and marketing arrangements in Colombia and Ecuador
Publications and Speeches
“Progress Report – Shale Play in South Africa,” Petroleum Africa, April 2016.
“Risk Analysis: Libya’s Oil and Gas Market Remains Risky for Companies Opening in the Territory,” Energy & Mining International, Summer 2015.