Our Experience in the North Sea
We regularly advise companies and lenders on their activities in the North Sea ( both upstream and midstream ), including M & A transactions , reserve-based lending and other financing transactions , project development , joint venture matters and operational issues . In particular , our experience includes :
Structuring and Negotiating M & A Transactions
Our recent experience with UK North Sea transactions means that we know and understand current market practice , including on asset deals , assets swaps , share deals and hybrid “ two-step ” transactions . We regularly advise buyers and sellers in relation to deferred and contingent consideration structures , carries and other consideration structures , allocation of decommissioning liabilities , OGA / regulatory dynamics , security structures and in relation to third party consents . We have deep experience in the North Sea peculiarities of deal-doing , including in relation to the use of the Master Deed and its alternatives .
Traditional and Innovative Financing Structures
Our team has a wealth of North Sea transactional experience , acting for both lenders and borrowers and ranging from small single field financings through to some of the North Sea ’ s largest and most complex financings . The Bracewell team has advised on more UK reserve-based lending transactions than any other firm . Our clients include oil and gas companies , private equity investors , large commercial banks and other providers of traditional debt finance , and stream finance providers .
Project Development
We have a wide range of experience in relation to the development of projects in the North Sea . It includes advising on transportation and processing agreements , crude and gas sales arrangements , pipeline crossing agreements , joint operating agreements , EPCIC arrangements and other project agreements . This experience means that we often work with the customary North Sea documents , including the OGUK / LOGIC model forms .
Decommissioning Security and Risk Allocation
Our team has been heavily involved in the changing nature of decommissioning arrangements in recent years . We have broad experience in North Sea decommissioning security agreements ( including decommissioning relief deeds , fieldwide DSAs based on the model form and more bespoke bilateral and multilateral decommissioning security agreements ). Members of our team contributed to the development of the model form decommissioning security agreement . We also regularly advise on the impact of decommissioning on transaction structures , including in relation to the seller retention of , or buyer acquisition of , all or some decommissioning liability and applicable commercial and regulatory considerations .
Regulatory Advice
We advise on the regulatory regime in force in the UK North Sea ( including in relation to licence terms , obtaining necessary OGA consents and the MER UK Strategy ). We were actively involved in industry responses to the OGA ’ s recent consultation paper on its test for a “ satisfactory expected commercial return ” under the MER UK Strategy and the consultation paper on the OGA ’ s financial guidance in relation to decommissioning .
Dispute Resolution
Our oil and gas-focused disputes team have extensive experience in relation to North Sea disputes and works closely with our transactional team .
bracewell . com