Energy & Resources

From the wellhead or mine to the power plant or consumer, our wide-ranging Energy and Resources experience is reflected in legal and commercial advice of the very highest quality.

At Rajah & Tann, we have a talented team of highly-rated specialists with expertise to assist with all aspects of Oil & Gas, Mining & Minerals, Power projects and corporate transactions with extensive experience in such fields across Asia.

We act for sponsors, contractors, service providers, financiers and governments on projects and transactions across the Asia-Pacific region. Our clients include many of the world’s largest energy and resources companies.

Well understanding the commercial drivers and the key risks involved for all parties in Oil & Gas, Minerals and Power projects, we assist clients finding the right creative solutions to issues. We pride ourselves in our ability to combine technical excellence with strategic, commercial and pragmatic advice.

Our Cross Border Strength

We combine leading international and specialist expertise with a truly regional network of full-service offices across Southeast Asia. Our network includes China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Several of our senior practitioners have previously worked for global law firms in Asia and accordingly, have considerable experience in complex cross-border Energy & Resources matters.

Being one of the largest firms in Southeast Asia allows us to easily draw on the experience of specialist lawyers across diverse practice areas who can assist our clients on the full spectrum of legal issues in the Oil & Gas, Minerals and Power sectors. We work closely with lawyers from many other award winning practices, including Shipping, Construction, Competition, Capital Markets (Debt and Equity) and International Arbitration.

We have strong relationships with regulators across our network, and full local law and language capability, which we leverage to assist our clients transact successfully across the region, including to deal effectively with governments, regulators, State-owned corporations and local partners.

Oil & Gas

We have acted for many of the super-majors, as well as other leading international and regional petroleum companies, contractors, service providers and regional governments.

Our upstream expertise includes:

Exploration and production, including drafting and negotiating PSCs, joint operating agreements, and project agreements with host governments (including arrangements relating to government carries, back-in rights, stabilisation and transfer of operatorship);
Offtake, processing, shipping and transportation, including FPSO, FPS and Floating LNG projects;
Service contracts and procurement;
Acquisitions and divestments, including farm-in and farm-out agreements;
Structuring, investment protection, and regulatory issues for Oil & Gas projects; and
Disputes, including litigation and arbitration (local and international).

Our midstream and downstream experience includes:

Refinery and petrochemical projects;
FEED, EPC and construction of infrastructure and facilities;
Shipping and transportation, including gas pipeline and transportation agreements;
Advising on regulatory, licensing, environmental, property, retail, competition, employment, transportation and import/export aspects of downstream petroleum businesses;
Joint ventures and shareholder agreements;
Acquisitions and divestments; and
Disputes, including litigation and international arbitration (local and international).

Mining and Minerals

We have acted on major projects for some of the world’s largest resources companies, as well as other leading international and regional mineral companies, contractors and service providers.

Our expertise includes:

Exploration and mining, including joint ventures, shareholder agreements, concessions, licences, and life-of-project agreements with host governments (including arrangements relating to government carries, back-in rights and stabilisation);
EPC and construction;
Refinery and smelter projects;
Management, services, and IP;
Offtake, trading and marketing;
Shipping and transportation;
Service contracts and procurement;
Structuring, investment protection, and regulatory issues for Mining and Minerals projects;
Acquisitions and divestments; and
Disputes, including litigation and international arbitration (local and international).

Our team members have been praised by resources clients for having ‘a combination of technical excellence, experience in the region and commercial perspective that is extremely rare and valuable’.

Commodity Trading

Our experience also includes all aspects of oil & gas, mineral and commodities trading, including:

Regulatory and licensing;
Tax and investment incentives;
Establishment of trading hubs including corporate, property and employment;
Transportation and shipping; and
Disputes, including litigation and international arbitration.

Power

Transactions handled by our lawyers include coal-fired, gas-fired, hydroelectric, solar and other renewable energy power plants. We work closely with project developers, contractors and governmental regulatory bodies to see projects through from tender to completion. Our expertise includes:

Regulatory and licensing issues;
Power purchase agreements;
Fuel supply agreements;
EPC and O&M contracts;
Land and environmental issues;
Joint venture arrangements; and
Disputes, including litigation and international arbitration.

Recognition

Tier 1 - Projects & Energy

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2024)
Tier 1 - Project Development

IFLR1000 (2023-2024)
Band 2 - Projects & Energy

Chambers Asia-Pacific (2024)
Recommended - Energy

Asialaw (2023-24)
"The team is highly sought after for its expertise in power."

Chambers Asia-Pacific (2024)
"The are very knowledgeable about the contract clauses and provided invaluable advice, including the drafting and proposed clauses, to close the issues with the counterparties."

IFLR1000 (2023-2024)
"They are extremely capable and well versed in all relevant matters."

Chambers Asia-Pacific (2024)
“Rajah & Tann’s lawyers are very commercial and problem solvers for complex deals and issues.”

Chambers Asia-Pacific (2023)
"Knowledgeable and commercial minded individuals to work with. Very important is that the team I worked with understand the goal and outcome we want to achieve."

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2023)
"Rajah & Tann provides excellent attention and service, with the client's best interests always in mind."

Chambers Asia-Pacific (2022)
"This team is very strong and is just that, a team, both internally and also working with the client and external experts or other counsel. Very impressive."

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2022)

Deep legal knowledge and experience in advising on projects. Thorough analysis of legal issues. Ability to deal with complex issues and provide practical solutions."

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024