Mayer Brown has a long and illustrious history of representing clients in all aspects of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry. Ours is the largest dedicated LNG team of any law firm in the market.
We have worked on LNG projects in more than 50 jurisdictions and have been at the forefront of advising on LNG projects in emerging markets, which are often challenging and complex. Our team understands the risks and uncertainties that can arise in a jurisdiction where there are few or no precedents. Our experience in advising on LNG export and import projects is unparalleled, and the number of firms with broad proficiency in this area is limited.
We have represented:
Owners, charterers and lenders in the acquisition, chartering, construction and financing of LNG carriers, LNG-to-power projects, LNG terminals, FSRUs and FSUs
Purchasers and sellers under long-term supply contracts, including sales purchase agreements (SPAs) and master sales agreements (MSAs), on a free-on-board (FOB) basis and a delivered-ex-ship (DES) or delivered-at-terminal (DAT) basis
Lenders in the financing of LNG projects
Buyers and sellers in the acquisition and disposition of interests in LNG projects
We also have extensive experience advising on or successfully representing our clients in LNG-related disputes, including in numerous ongoing arbitral proceedings relating to LNG matters involving:
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
Due to the international nature of the LNG market, we understand the requirement to have lawyers in different corners of the globe. When it comes to complex, cross-border LNG matters, you can rely on our seamless service across our global platform.
This is the best team in energy with whom we have worked. Deep industry knowledge, acute commercial sense, innovative constructs, while considering the basic guardrails. The team is very hard-working and responsive. Also, Mayer Brown’s Energy practice has a bench of excellent lawyers who have different levels of industry focus—LNG, clean energy, EPC, etc.
Legal 500 Asia Pacific
Experience
Advised:
ADNOC Gas on the drafting and negotiation of six long-term DES LNG SPAs for Ruwais LNG, including with PETRONAS, Mitsui, Osaka Gas, and Shell.
QatarEnergy on eight separate 27-year LNG SPAs with buyers including Shell, TotalEnergies, ConocoPhillips, Eni, and ExxonMobil, each for the supply of 1 to 2 MTPA of LNG from the North Field East/North Field South expansion projects in Qatar.
PETRONAS on a 20-year FOB LNG SPA with Pembina Pipeline Corporation in respect of 1 MTPA of Pembina’s liquefaction capacity at the Cedar LNG facility, a floating LNG facility in Canada.
PETRONAS and Excelerate Energy in connection with LNG SPAs with Venture Global for offtake from the Plaquemines LNG project on an FOB basis.
OQ Trading (OQT) on its 15-year LNG SPA with LNG Alliance relating to the Amigo LNG project in Sonora, Mexico on an FOB basis, and building on the binding heads of agreement (HOA) signed in August 2024.
Excelerate Energy in connection with a mid-term deal which envisages purchasing LNG on an FOB basis from QatarEnergy, and subsequently in connection with a 15-year LNG SPA with Bangladesh’s Petrobangla, for the sale of 0.85 to 1.0 MTPA on a DES basis, beginning in 2026.
JERA in connection with a 10-year LNG SPA in respect of the Oman LNG project for the purchase of approximately 0.8 MTPA on an FOB basis, from 2025.
POSCO International on its 20-year LNG SPA for 0.7 MTPA on an FOB basis from MexicoPacific’s Saguaro Energía LNG export facility in Puerto Libertad, Sonora, Mexico.
Excelerate Energy in connection with the negotiation of over 30 different MSPA forms over the past 36 months, including drafting and amending MSPAs with traders, project sellers, and NOCs and noting major deviations to the Excelerate standard.
A power company in connection with its tender process and drafting and negotiating LNG MSPAs with a number of major LNG sellers including TOTAL, Shell, Pavilion, JERA, Trafigura, Petrochina, and CNOOC.
Advised:
Singapore LNG (SLNG) on all FSRU-related aspects of its landmark offshore LNG import project in Singapore. The SLNG offshore LNG terminal is the second LNG terminal in Singapore and will be the first-ever floating LNG terminal in Singapore.
Hong Kong LNG Terminal Limited (HKLTL) and its shareholders, Castle Peak Power Company Limited (CLP) and The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HEC) as project developers, on all aspects its FSRU/LNG import project in Hong Kong. This project was awarded Oil & Gas Deal of the Year - LNG Terminal, APAC IJGlobal Awards 2023.
PETRONAS in connection with the development of an FSRU project in Malaysia. Our advice involves preparing the FSRU time charter party agreement to be sent to bidders and assisting PETRONAS in the selection of a preferred FSRU owner.
Excelerate Energy on the execution of a definitive agreement with a subsidiary of Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity to develop and operate a fully integrated floating LNG import terminal at the Port of Khor Al Zubair. The project marks Iraq’s first LNG import terminal and is designed to enhance the country’s energy security and fuel supply flexibility.
Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET) in relation to all contractual arrangements relating to four FSRU-based LNG import terminals in Germany—Wilhelmshaven 1 & 2, Brunsbüttel and Stade—including in connection with the FSRU charter parties, terminal use agreements for short-term and general terms for long-term regasification capacity.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) on its long-term Time Charter Party (TCP) Agreement for a FSRU in Poland with Gaz System, the Polish Gas Transmission System Operator.
Karadeniz in relation to the development of an FSRU-to-powership project in South Africa, including the development of a suite of documentation consisting of multiple FSRU charter & FSRU O&M agreements, the gas sales agreement, drafting and negotiating the long-term LNG SPA, and advising on interface issues in respect of the PPA.
Excelerate Energy on all aspects of its proposed LNG import project in Alaska, United States, including project structuring, potential financing and bankability issues, the FSRU and regasification arrangements, terminal use arrangements, LNG supply arrangements, gas sales arrangements, and the interface issues between LNG supply, terminal use, and gas sales.
Advised:
POSCO International on its strategic equity investment in the US$45 billion Alaska LNG Project and agreement to supply 1 Mt/year of LNG to POSCO and terms for POSCO to supply steel for the project’s gas pipeline.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, as part of an investor consortium, in connection with its debt and equity investment in Port Arthur LNG Phase 2, an LNG infrastructure project developed by Sempra Infrastructure Partners.
OQ Trading (OQT), the international energy and commodity trading arm of the government of Oman, in relation to its equity investment option to acquire an interest in the Amigo LNG project in Sonora, Mexico.
Excelerate Energy in its acquisition of all the Jamaica assets of New Fortress Energy, including LNG import and distribution facilities, LNG SPAs, and gas sales agreements, as well as LNG-to-power facilities.
A global energy storage provider on all aspects of the acquisition of an interest in and the development and financing of the Moheshkhali 3 LNG greenfield project, the third FSRU project in Bangladesh.
Excelerate Energy in connection with the co-development of a greenfield LNG import terminal in Haiphong, Vietnam, including the M&A process, the joint venture arrangements and the contractual arrangements for LNG and gas supply which will be entered into by the joint venture company.
Mitsubishi Corporation on its 25% investment into Summit’s greenfield LNG import project in Bangladesh, including full due diligence on the signed project documentation and working with Bangladesh counsel on the regulatory regime.
JERA in connection with its bid to acquire an interest in the Hai Linh LNG terminal project in Vietnam. Our advice included due diligence on the project and advising on the shareholders agreement and equity agreement. The acquisition did not close.
CNODC in respect of its participation as a shareholder of MRV, operator of the Rovuma Basin Area 4 FLNG Project, the structuring of the Rovuma LNG project, analysis of the different contracts, governmental approvals and governance issues, the FLNG project financing, and LNG offtake and marketing arrangements.
Advised:
Höegh LNG in relation to all aspects of its dispute, arbitral proceedings, and subsequent commercial settlement with PGN, the national gas company of Indonesia, arising out of an FSRU TCP. The parties agreed to finally and irrevocably settle all of the disputes, claims, and counterclaims between the parties that gave rise to the arbitration proceedings, and to terminate the arbitrations with immediate effect.
A South American LNG group in relation to disputes arising out of a long-term LNG SPA with a European-headquartered global commodities trader. The LNG SPA related to the supply of LNG to a combined cycle power plant. The contracts were governed by English law and subject to ICC arbitration in London. The dispute related to the validity of the LNG SPA and claims for frustration of contract. We assisted the client in successfully terminating the LNG SPA without liability.
An LNG seller in a dispute under an LNG SPA; the dispute concerned claims for substantial eleventh-hour diversion costs and was subject to SIAC arbitration in Singapore. We advised our clients in connection with injunction proceedings before the Geneva state courts in which we prevailed, leading to a highly successful commercial settlement which also allowed our clients to continue their trading relationship with the opposing party.
An Asian global LNG trader/operator in relation to disputes with the subsidiary of a pan-Asian joint-venture energy and trading company. The disputes arose out of the termination of two mid-term LNG SPAs from facilities in North America and Southeast Asia, with claims and counterclaims amounting to over US$200 million. The disputes were subject to ICC arbitration in Singapore, with successfully concluded Emergency Arbitrator proceedings and satellite litigation before the Singapore courts.
A major LNG buyer in relation to a heads of agreement for the purchase of a significant quantity of LNG, including in respect of the negotiation of the full-form LNG SPA and related dispute management and pre-arbitration issues.
A Singapore-based subsidiary of an established South Korean manufacturing and trading conglomerate in relation to high-value disputes relating to a chain of LNG cargo transactions. The disputes arose out of the declaration of force majeure by the terminal operator at the loading port due to a hurricane, against spiking LNG spot market prices. The relevant contracts were governed by English law and Singapore law respectively, subject to HKIAC and SIAC arbitrations. The dispute related to force majeure/failure-to-deliver claims, and we were able to successfully defend our client and secure a victory in dismissing all of the claims.
