Natural Resources
Our Natural Resources practice encompasses all aspects of the industry, from regulatory matters and privatizations to permitting, project financing and private business acquisitions.
Our team of lawyers has developed an excellent reputation in advising on a wide range of oil and gas related matters involving upstream and downstream work and including concessions and licensing, exploration, drilling, storage, transportation, distribution, refining, pipeline construction and downstream marketing. We have also become one of the leading legal advisors to the mining industry, advising both on the restructuring of the State owned mining sector prior to joining the European Union and on new investments in the mining field, able to provide adequate guarantees as regards the usage of the best available and environmentally friendly technologies and the assistance of local communities in order to achieve sustainable development.
Our team of lawyers has developed an excellent reputation in advising on a wide range of oil and gas related matters involving upstream and downstream work and including concessions and licensing, exploration, drilling, storage, transportation, distribution, refining, pipeline construction and downstream marketing. We have also become one of the leading legal advisors to the mining industry, advising both on the restructuring of the State owned mining sector prior to joining the European Union and on new investments in the mining field, able to provide adequate guarantees as regards the usage of the best available and environmentally friendly technologies and the assistance of local communities in order to achieve sustainable development.
Our recent instructions include:
- Advising the Ministry of Economy and Commerce in relation with the restructuring of Petrotrans S.A. (the leading state-owned company in the oil products transport sector) as a first step toward privatisation with a strategic investor. Legal work rendered included an extensive due diligence on the company as well as an in-depth analysis of the regulatory related matters to implement the strategy prepared and the preparation of the memorandum presented to the Romanian Government in view of approval of the proposed strategy.
- Advising Gabriel Resources, a major Canadian mining group, in relation to the exploration and exploitation of the biggest gold and silver mining site in Europe: Rosia Montana. The development of the Rosia Montana mining project (pending) is one of the biggest foreign investments in Romania, the total value of the investment being in excess of USD 3 billion. The Firm is currently advising the client, among others, on legal management of the company's mining rights (exploration and exploitation mining licenses issued by the National Agency for Mineral Resources), on all environmental legal matters arising from the project including permitting and past pollution issues and the most extensive Environmental Impact Assessment process currently being performed in Romania. We are providing legal assistance with respect to the resettlement plan of the local community, permitting, environment, corporate, labour and litigation matters.
- Advising the National Agency for Mineral Resources of Romania (ANRM), the national regulatory body in natural resources, on various natural resources and mining regulatory matters including reviewing and amending the mining law before its submission to the Parliament, more particularly with respect to public ownership area, mineral resources, concessions and licensing related issues.
- Retained by the Romanian Regulatory Authority on the Gas Sector (ANRGN) – as lead legal counsel in connection with the drafting and development of the secondary legislation in the gas market aimed at achieving, inter alia, full liberalisation and unbundling of the national gas market.
- Advising Barrick Gold Corporation, the world’s largest gold producer, in relation to the potential implementation and development of a mining project in Romania.
- Retained by Empire Mining Corporation, member of the Hamilton Resource Group, in connection with all legal matters applicable for a proposed acquisition of a privately held mineral exploration company developing projects in Romania and Turkey.
- Assisting the National Oil Company Petrom S.A. in connection with various legal matters regarding their exploration, drilling, refinery, transportation and distribution of oil and gas activities, as well as negotiations for the establishment of joint ventures with foreign investors in related fields of activity, including on the debt liability exposure and advice on international sales contracts. The firm has also advised on the joint venture between Petrom and Enron for various investment projects in oil & gas, including the construction of power plants and transport infrastructure for natural gas. Further on, the firm drafted and assisted the client in the negotiation of various agreements including distribution of natural gas, supply and commissions agreement.
- Retained by Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation (U.S.), one of the largest independent oil and gas producers in the world, for providing legal assistance in relation with a potential joint-venture with Petrom S.A., advising on regulatory issues, tariffs, public property and concession regulations.
- Legal assistance to Zeta Petroleum in connection with the project consisting in the exploration and exploitation of gas deposits in Bobocu perimeter.
- Advising Regal Petroleum, a UK oil company, with respect to drafting and negotiating a multi-million oil agreement with the National Agency for Mineral Resources of Romania.
- Drafting amendments to the Concession Law, including extensive discussions on the proposed draft with the Romanian Authority for Privatization (APAPS), as well as with the Romanian Ministry of Industry.
- Retained by Shell in connection with the implementation of the Oil Agreement concluded between Royal Dutch Shell, Shell Exploration Romania and the Romanian Government, including drafting the necessary transaction documentation for the concession of certain oil resources blocks, negotiating and obtaining all necessary licenses, authorizations, approvals and permits from the National Agency for Natural Resources, the Romanian Ministry of Finance, the National Bank of Romanian and conducting an environmental audit.
- Retained by Elf Aquitaine and the National Oil Company Petrom S.A. in connection with the concession agreement concluded with the National Agency for Mineral Resources for the exploration and exploitation of an oil field in the Black Sea.
- Advising the Romanian Government on the EU INOGATE Program, including a review of the Romanian legal framework on oil and gas transportation systems in order to meet the requirements of the Program.
- Retained by the Romanian Government in connection with the review of the laws related to public ownership over the oil/gas properties.
- Retained by Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, a major European corporation, in connection with a concession agreement with the Water Public Corporation for the concession of the Bucharest water facilities.
- Advising Petromidia S.A., one of the leading oil refineries in Romania, and various oil equipment suppliers, on corporate and business matters, including drafting and negotiating various oil processing agreements.
- Advising an international consortium in connection with the establishment of the National Power Grid Company in Romania.
