Oil and energy

The Oil and Energy group at Arntzen de Besche provides legal services to Norwegian and foreign operators in the oil and energy business.

We have amassed extensive expertise in the areas of oil and gas through many years' assistance to oil and gas companies, supplier companies and Norwegian petroleum authorities. We also have a substantial practice in energy and environmental law, where we assist energy producers at home and abroad, manufacturing and supplier companies as well as governments. In recent years the firm has expanded its practice through a growing involvement with the governments of other petroleum-producing countries.

Legal advice focusing on the industry
The lawyers in the Oil and Energy group have broad experience from oil and gas companies, the power generation business and government administration. In view of our understanding of the business and expert knowledge of the law, we deliver high-quality services to players of all sorts in the oil and energy business. In recent years our advising has focused especially on the following areas:

Production activities: assistance to oil and gas companies in connection with prequalification, HSE issues, cooperation agreements, drilling contracts and establishing cooperation on rigs, farm-in agreements, unitising negotiations and agreements, connection agreements, lifting agreements, floating production (FPSO), procurements, arbitration and other dispute resolution.

Transactions (mergers and acquisitions) and stock market listings: sales of shares or licence interests, including preparing sales and purchase agreements, negotiations between parties, assessment of tax issues and financing solutions, and implementation of stock market listings.

Gas sales and gas transport: assistance regarding gas sales, long-term commitments, capacity rights.

Regulatory matters: assistance to Norwegian authorities in connection with drafting new petroleum law rules, assistance to foreign governments regarding implementation of integrated management models and securing of management tools.

Tax: ongoing legal advice to Norwegian and foreign oil and gas and power generation companies in connection with transactions, tax assessment and court cases.

Contracting: legal advice to oil companies and supplier companies during contract negotiations, fulfilment and dispute resolution, including major arbitration and court cases.

Energy law
In the area of energy law we have assisted gas-fired power and wind power players in particular, but we also advise grid operators and operators in the area of hydropower generation. We also have ongoing engagements in the areas of tax and competition law for players in the energy business. For gas-fired and wind power, we can stress the following areas in particular:

Gas-fired power: assistance to gas-fired power companies in all aspects of the business, including gas purchasing, connection agreements, turnkey contracts for delivery and construction, operating agreements, licences, power sales contracts and a number of commercial models.

Renewable energy: assistance regarding the establishment of wind farms and purchase of wind power companies, agreements for leasing land, licensing law issues and sales and purchase agreements.