
About Olivia
Olivia has been working as an energy finance lawyer for over 15 years advising banks, financial institutions, private equity funds and E&P independents on oil and gas upstream debt financings and restructuring. Olivia's experience spreads from traditional corporate syndicated commercial bank lending, pre-payments, acquisition financings to more particularly, reserve-based lending. The transactions she advises on are multi-jurisdictional in nature and she has been advising on upstream financings across Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. As a native French speaker, her contribution on financings in Francophone Africa is invaluable.
Women’s Energy Council, 2020 Global Female Influencer 275 List
"... one of the top oil and gas debt structuring lawyers in the business and is seen as a 'go-to' lawyer in this field, particularly for bespoke and complex transactions which require a keen commercial mind. Driven by efficient execution, without compromising attention to detail, Olivia has built up solid client relationships based on trust." — Client
“exceptional banking and energy sector knowledge,” “Trusted advisers,” “an impeccable record with financial institutions” — Legal 500 UK, 2015
Experience
Recent Notable Matters
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association — as lender, administrative agent and collateral agent in the successfully completed exit financing for Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. and certain affiliates. The exit financing included approximately $400 million in a revolving credit facility, $100 million in a term loan and over $85 million in privately placed notes.
Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank — as agent to the lenders in the $2.44 billion letter of credit facility and approximately $544 million in funded debt for McDermott International in the successfully completed emergence from bankruptcy
Crédit Agricole — $1.7 billion new financing for McDermott International which includes immediate access to $650 million of financing comprised of $550 million under a term loan credit facility and $100 million under a letter of credit facility, as lead arranger and revolving administrative agent
Assala Energy UK Limited — refinancing of its facility with a $500 million reserve-based financing arranged by Citi, ABN AMRO, Natixis, Mauritius Commercial Bank, ING Bank, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Goldman Sachs, Rand Merchant Bank, SMBC and SCB and supported by its assets in Gabon
The Carlyle Group and CVC Capital Partners Fund VI — $2 billion reserve based facility, part of the $3.9 billion acquisition by Neptune Energy (a Carlyle and CVC Capital portfolio company) of ENGIE’s 70 percent interest in Engie E&P International S.A. This is the largest ever EMEA private equity-backed upstream acquisition. The portfolio acquired includes upstream assets in the UK, Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Indonesia, Algeria, Egypt and Azerbaijan.
Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank — as lead arranger, in the $4.65 billion financing of McDermott International, Inc.’s all-stock combination with Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V., consisting of a $2.26 billion senior secured term loan facility, a $1.0 billion senior secured revolving credit facility and a $1.39 billion senior secured letter of credit facility
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Europe Limited — $120 million reserve based facility for the acquisition by Trident Energy (a Warburg Pincus portfolio company) and jointly with Kosmos Energy of Hess International’s interests in Equatorial Guinea and the subsequent amendment and restatement of the facility. The financing is part of a total consideration of $650 million, and is the first acquisition by Trident Energy together with the subsequent amendments and increase to commitments to $160 million.
Delek Drilling L.P. and Avner Oil Exploration L.P. — $1.75 billion financing for the development of the Leviathan gas field, offshore Israel
Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited — refinancing of the $270 million facility which has been refinanced by Afrexim Bank and Shell Western to finance the development of OMLs 112 and 117 in Nigeria’s Delta region secured against its Nigerian oil assets
Eland Oil & Gas plc — refinancing its existing facility with commitment of $75 million with Standard Bank and Mauritius Commercial Bank (with an accordion to increase commitments up to $200 million) for the ongoing development of its assets onshore Nigeria
SDX Energy Morroco — up to $20 million reserve based facility arranged by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development supported by its assets in Morocco
Société Générale and BNP Paribas — advising clients and Banca IMI on an up to $100 million secured borrowing base facility to Irminio in relation to its Italian petroleum assets
Seplat Petroleum Development Company — $1.7 billion financing (comprising of a revolving facility with international banks and a reserve based financing with Nigerian banks) in relation to oil and gas assets in Nigeria
Caracal Energy — on an up to $250 million reserve based financing for the development of its petroleum assets in Chad arranged by Natixis and Société Générale (awarded Middle East and Africa Deal of the Year 2014 by Trade Finance Magazine)
Global Investment Banks — bid acquisition financing by an E&P Company for certain Oil Mining Licences offshore Nigeria as part of the divestment of the Shell’s interests in the region
Impact Oil & Gas Ltd — negotiations of client's Production Sharing Contract with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons in Gabon following the awards of new licences blocks offshore Gabon
Deutsche Bank — advising client on the financing to Gasol Plc for the acquisition of a minority interest of oil and gas assets in Cote d' Ivoire
HSBC Bank plc — as mandated lead arranger and documentation bank and a syndicate of 25 other commercial banks on a US$2.5 billion secured reserve based facility to Lundin Petroleum involving assets in France, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Norway and the North Sea (‘European Upstream Oil & Gas Deal of the Year 2012’, Project Finance Awards)*
Perenco — $2.8 billion reserve-based lending facility (awarded European Upstream Oil & Gas Deal of the Year 2010, Project Finance Magazine)*
BNP Paribas — advising client, HSBC Bank plc, IFC and 24 other commercial banks $3.5 billion senior and junior secured credit facilities for Tullow Oil involving oil and gas assets in Africa and the North Sea*
Etablissements Maurel & Prom — $350 million senior facility with Natixis , BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and Standard Chartered Bank in relation to its assets in Gabon*
Glencore UK — on an up to $200 million prepayment facility for Société Anonyme Marocaine de l’Industrie du Raffinage (Morocco)*
Bank of Scotland — $50 million borrowing base facility to subsidiaries of Candax Energy for the financing of development oil and gas assets in Tunisia*
Royal Bank of Canada — $900 million revolving corporate facility to Dana Petroleum*
BNP Paribas and Bank of Scotland — $25 million reserve-based financing for Endeavour International for its North Sea assets*
* Work completed prior to Bracewell