Energy & natural resources

7KBW “handles a range of upstream, midstream and downstream energy matters and is frequently involved in cases in the natural resources sector” (Chambers UK 2020).  7KBW’s strength in many other areas of commercial law “naturally leads to high-value energy cases, among which are matters concerning pipelines, oil production, renewable energy and LNG” (Legal 500 2020).

Members have extensive experience of both arbitration (as advocates and arbitrators) and litigation, in all major jurisdictions and arbitral centres.  Our work spans long-running, multi-jurisdiction, complex trials, including appeals with industry significance, and advisory work.

Areas covered include:

• Oil and gas supply and trading (supply contracts, sale and purchase contracts and financing for a range of products including crude oil, fuel oil, palm oil, bunker fuel, shale gas and LNG);
• Other natural resource supply and trading (supply contracts, sale and purchase contracts and financing for a range of resources including coal and iron ore);
• Oil and gas fields (exploration, exploitation and licensing);
• Mining (licensing, engineering, infrastructure management);
• Onshore and offshore drilling and other structures (construction, engineering, sale, transportation, financing, operation and insurance);
• Processing and production plants (refineries, petrochemical plants and power stations);
• FPSOs;
• Pipelines and cables (construction, financing, operation and insurance);
• Renewable and green energy (wind farms, solar, hydro-electric, geothermal and other plants, carbon credits, pollution and climate change litigation);
• Related insurance disputes (e.g. marine cargo insurance, business interruption and political risks);
• Related jurisdictional issues.

Many of the cases in which our members have appeared are confidential arbitrations, including one the largest ever London energy arbitrations.

Some of the leading reported energy cases in which members of 7KBW have appeared include:

• Apache North Sea Limited v INEOS FPS Limited [2020] EWHC 2081 (Comm): Dispute concerning consent provision in contracts for transportation of oil to shore via pipeline.
• Munich Re Capital Ltd v Ascot Corporate Name Ltd [2019] EWHC 2768 (Comm): Offshore energy insurance dispute concerning the WELCAR form.
• Petrosaudi Oil Services (Venezuela) Ltd v Novo Banco S.A. [2017] EWCA Civ 9: Dispute about a payment provision in a drilling contract.
• Apache Beryl Ltd v Marathon Oil UK LLC [2017] EWHC 2258 (Comm), [2017] EWHC 2462 (Comm), [2017] EWHC 2504 (Comm): Dispute between joint venture partners engaged in the exploitation of natural gas in the North Sea.
• PST Energy 7 Shipping LLC v OW Bunker Malta [2016] UKSC 23: Dispute concerning contracts for the sale of marine fuels, described by Lloyd’s List as “the most spectacular shipping legal imbroglio so far this century”.
• The SBM MOPUSTOR litigation: Dispute arising out of the decommissioning of an oil rig in the North Sea.
• Excalibur Ventures LLC v Texas Keystone [2013] EWHC 2767: Dispute about oil and gas fields in Kuridstan. The case was described by the trial judge as “gargantuan in scope”.
• Tidewater Marine International Inc v PhoenixTide Offshore Nigeria Limited [2013] EWHC 2960 (Comm).
• The Buncefield litigation: Involved one of the biggest explosions in peacetime England resulting in extensive damage to property and injuries in the area.
• The Metro litigation: Litigation that arose out of the collapse in 1998 of metro Trading International and Metro Oil Corporation.