Oil & gas

Our global oil & gas group is made up of acknowledged legal experts in the oil and gas industry. This is reflected in our current “Tier One” ranking as an oil and gas firm in the leading legal directories.

Members of our global oil & gas group can advise on the complex legal, commercial and technical issues associated with upstream, midstream and downstream developments worldwide.

Key practice areas

Whether you are contemplating an upstream investment in Asia Pacific, a downstream project in the Middle East or simply need help navigating your way through the complexity or diversity of handling a deal or dispute in Africa or Europe - we have the team and experience to assist you. Our expertise in M&A, finance, dispute resolution and environmental regulation is widely acknowledged in the oil and gas industry and this is reflected in our current “Tier-1” ranking as an oil and gas firm by global legal directories. Our industry focused oil and gas group consists of specialists from all practice areas to deliver an integrated service:

Corporate

Clifford Chance is established as one of the leading global corporate practices. With our balance of international presence, depth of experience, skills and resource, and sector focus and expertise, we advise clients on their strategic and challenging transactions across all the major markets and in many cases with, multi-jurisdictional dimensions.  We represent many of the world's leading international and national corporations, financial institutions and sponsors on the largest and most innovative transactions across the globe – from public takeovers, mergers and cross border acquisitions to strategic alliances, joint ventures, outsourcings and restructurings.  Our international reach provides our clients with the assurance that their requirements can be met by a single law firm combining a market leading international practice with specialist, local expertise. The firm's leading expertise on finance, capital markets, tax, real estate, anti-trust, employment, pensions and regulation seamlessly delivers the result for the client. Our ability to operate across border for our clients is greatly assisted by the depth of our sector expertise and knowledge, which enables us deliver relevant expertise across the world and across all practices, with a deep understanding of the issues and challenges facing our clients. The practice has a proven track record which is evidenced by top tier positions in the legal directories and M&A league tables as well as in awards.

Project development & finance

The worldwide projects group specialises in all areas of global project financing and offers the experience and capability of a team that regularly works on the most important, innovative and complex projects around the world. Wherever it is and whatever its type, we can help your transaction succeed. Every transaction presents unique demands - we work as part of your team to anticipate and to meet the challenges you may face, taking a non-legalistic, solution orientated approach that focuses on delivering practical solutions. We will work closely with you to understand your business, your objectives and your approach to the deal. You can rely on us to provide the in-depth industry knowledge, local market expertise, practical solutions and clear strategies necessary to make your deal work. We are highly experienced advisers to sponsors and funders on the financing aspects of projects in a range of industry sectors.  Together with our international securities practice, we can advise on all aspects of financings including the investment grade and non-investment grade markets under both common law and civil law systems.  In addition to advising on traditional project finance structures, our lawyers have developed increasingly innovative financing solutions for the projects market. We are fully familiar with all forms of bank and capital markets financing. We have substantial experience of advising on projects that combine different forms of structured finance techniques such as monetisations; asset acquisitions; islamic-funding techniques; project bonds; securitisations; portfolio financings; restructurings; investment funds; leveraged finance; borrowing base structures; and derivatives products.

Antitrust/competition, EU & trade

An unrivalled network of antitrust lawyers offering a unique mix of legal, economic and regulatory expertise to the benefit of international clients from a range of industry sectors. Antitrust issues are increasingly complex and critical to the success of business. Clifford Chance's Antitrust Law Group offers a one-stop shop for clear, strategic and commercially aware advice on a broad-range of local and multi-jurisdictional antitrust matters. Our integrated team comprises lawyers and economists across Europe, the US and Asia. '"They do it all and they do it all well." With competition specialists worldwide, the firm has built an impressive international network that is much appreciated by interviewees: "One of the main benefits of the firm is that the lawyers co-operate seamlessly on issues that straddle other areas and other jurisdictions."' Chambers UK 2009

Construction

The Clifford Chance Construction Group provides specialist support to clients in the development of procurement strategies and in the analysis and allocation of construction risk. The Group is unique among the leading law firms in its size and specialist focus and is consistently recognized as a market leader. The Group is involved in all sectors of the construction industry, including infrastructure, energy, oil and gas and real estate, allowing a seamless sharing of ideas and resources across those sectors. This thought leadership has translated into a wide range of briefings and workshop materials which are updated from time to time.  Please click here for a list of our current titles, and feel free to contact one of the Construction Group partners for more information. We operate at the leading edge of the technological, policy and legal trends which shape the construction industry. For example, we are deeply involved in renewable and new nuclear energy and in carbon reduction technology, and are constantly developing new contracting concepts and structures to meet the changing needs of our clients.

Environment

A specialised group of lawyers from across our broad international network focusing on environmental aspects of our clients' businesses. Our long established Environment Group is committed to assisting you with the challenges posed by ever stricter national, European and international environmental regulation. The team brings real expertise, technical understanding and entrepreneurial thinking to this complex and rapidly changing area of law. Formed in 1988, our team of lawyers has built up a wealth of experience in all aspects of environmental work. We have access to decision makers in industry and government at local, national and international level and in supra-national organisations such as the EU. We also work regularly with highly regarded international environmental consultants.

Litigation

Clifford Chance's global group of specialist litigators help to resolve your business disputes through arbitration, litigation or mediation. Our global litigation and dispute resolution practice combines market leading local capability in each of our regions with a unique ability to work efficiently with Clifford Chance litigation lawyers across our global network. We have expertise in litigation (including a strong trial capability), international and local arbitration, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Our approach emphasises practical understanding of our clients' business problems and we have experience across every segment of the corporate and financial world. We specialise in managing complex cases involving multiple claims and parties. We also work closely with other Clifford Chance practice areas to develop compliance initiatives and other techniques to help our clients reduce litigation risk.

Understanding key industry issues

Working from a detailed understanding of the industry and its trends, the oil and gas group keep up to date on key issues in the oil and gas industry and our response to them.  These include the realignment of portfolios, mergers, restructurings and consolidation in the market, national oil companies looking to invest in new territories, technology driving the independent oil companies to look at acquisitions in less traditional areas, resource nationalism and expropriation of assets, the improved appetite for reserve base lending, increased focus on managing price exposure, greater focus on managing price exposure  alternative sources, renewables, carbon capture and emissions trading.  Our market-leading environment group provides specialist expertise in all aspects of environmental law across the spectrum of transactional, regulatory advisory and dispute management contexts in the oil and gas sector.