Highly recommended by sources as "an incredible lawyer who is very active in the energy sphere."
Chambers Global

Overview

Jose L. Valera is a partner in the Houston office of Mayer Brown and member of the Global Energy group. He focuses his practice on domestic and international energy transactions and project development, with more than 25 years of legal experience representing oil, gas and electric energy companies throughout the United States, Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. 

Jose represents clients in a wide range of commercial agreements, including oil and gas exploration and production contracts, investment agreements, production sales, upstream development projects, transportation agreements, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. He also has experience with onshore and marine terminal services agreements for crude oil and petroleum fuels. In the power sector, Jose drafts and negotiates project development agreements for thermal and renewable generation projects, operation and maintenance of power plants, fuel supply, financing, mergers and acquisitions. Jose’s LNG practice focuses on LNG liquefaction services, regasification services, development of regasification terminals, and purchase and sale of LNG.

Jose has counseled the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Honduras, Peru and Iraq on energy legislative reform matters, development of shared hydrocarbon resources, and privatization transactions related to the electric and oil and gas industries.

Fluent in English, Spanish and French, he is a former member of the board of directors of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators and is a frequent speaker on energy matters at professional conferences. 

Experience

Oil and gas exploration and production contracts, investment agreements, upstream development projects, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures.

  •  Representation of large independent US company in the negotiation and drafting of a production handling agreement relating to a deep water spar and development and operation of subsea production facilities in the deep water portion of the Gulf of Mexico; and in the negotiation of the joint operation agreement for the exploration and development of a deep water lease.
  • Representation of Korean shareholder in the sale of its share ownership interest in Peruvian natural gas transporter Transportadora de Gas del Perú S.A. (TgP) to Spanish and Canadian buyers.
  • Representation of Colombian company in connection with their operations in the Gulf of Mexico, including the negotiation and drafting of joint operating agreements, agreements for the development of subsea production systems, production handling agreements and agreements for the transportation of production.
  • Representation of large independent US company in connection with the farm-out of working interest in two offshore hydrocarbon concessions in Nicaragua, including the negotiation of joint operating agreements.
  • Representation of a Spanish company in the sale of all its ownership interest in two producing areas in Ecuador to a Chinese company.

Thermal and renewable generation project development, financing, mergers and acquisitions.

  • Representation of a Mexican corporation as international counsel in its joint venture with a U.S. renewable energy company for their participation as a bidder in the first power purchase auction that was conducted by the Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (CENACE) in Mexico.
  • Representation of a global energy finance company in a proposed 49-percent equity investment in a project company for the construction and ownership of a wind power farm in Mexico.
  • Representation of a large European company as the proposed O&M operator in the tender process conducted by CFE for the construction, financing and operation of a major electric transmission project in Mexico.
  • Representation of an electric generation company in the Dominican Republic in the negotiation and drafting of EPC and O&M agreements for a dual gas and diesel- fired power plant.

LNG liquefaction services, regasification services, development of regasification terminals, and purchase and sale of LNG.

  • Representation of a Chilean electric generation company, as buyer, in the negotiation and drafting of an LNG purchase and sale agreement to procure fuel. 
  • Representation of Andes LNG in the negotiation and drafting of agreements for the development of an integrated LNG regasification and power generation project in Chile.
  • Representation of Calamari LNG S.A. E.S.P., a company owned by Colombian electric generation companies Termocandelaria S.C.A. E.S.P, Termobarranquilla S.A. E.S.P. and Zona Franca Celsia S.A. E.S.P., in the negotiation and drafting of agreements for the purchase of LNG to be delivered at the Cartagena terminal.
  • Representation of an equity participant in the development of an LNG-to-Power project in Brazil.
  • Representation of Colbun SA, the second largest electric generation company in Chile,  as lead counsel in the negotiation and drafting of agreements for regasification capacity rights in connection with the proposed expansion of the existing Quintero LNG regasification terminal in central Chile.
  • Representation of Colombian electric generation companies Termobarranquilla S.A. E.S.P., Termocandelaria S.C.A. E.S.P. and Zona Franca Celsia S.A. E.S.P. in the negotiation and drafting of LNG regasification services agreements with respect to the LNG regasification terminal in Cartagena, Colombia. This terminal uses an FSRU.
  • Representation of Compañia Minera Doña Ines de Collahuasi and BHP Billiton in the negotiation and drafting of LNG regasification services agreements with respect to the Mejillones LNG regasification terminal in northern Chile.  Incidental to this agreement, Jose led the negotiation and drafting of an operations and coordination agreement among all the various regasification customers of the terminal.
  • Representation of BHP Billiton, acting on behalf of affiliate Minera Escondida S.A.,  in a tolling services agreement for the receipt of all electric energy output from the  Kelar 520MW power plant in exchange for regasified LNG from the Mejillones terminal as fuel and certain fixed payments. Minera Escondida operates the largest copper mine in the world.
  • Representation of two Chilean electric generation companies as joint lead counsel in the development of an LNG terminal in central Chile with an FSRU and the procurement of LNG. There was no FID for this project.

Terminal services agreements for crude oil and fuel onshore and marine terminals.

  • Representation of Repsol in the negotiation of a 450,000-barrel terminal services agreement relating to a marine fuels terminal currently under construction in Tuxpan, Mexico.
  • Representation of a French company in the drafting of a terminal services agreement relating to a marine fuels terminal in the Dominican Republic.

Education

Catholic University of Peru, BA

Catholic University of Peru, JD

South Texas College of Law, JD

Admissions

  • Louisiana
  • Texas
  • Peru (inactive)
  • Not admitted in Mexico City. Practicing under the supervision of firm principals.

Activities

  • Association of International Petroleum Negotiators
  • Houston Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Houston World Affairs Council
  • Chambers Global- Latin America: Energy & Natural Resources, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012
  • Chambers Latin America: Energy & Natural Resources 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015
  • Chambers USA: Latin America Investments 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015
  • The Burton Awards for Achievement in Legal Writing 2008