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Overview | Representative Russian/CIS Projects in the Energy Sector
Overview
Vinson & Elkins has represented the interests of clients doing business in the former Soviet Union since the early 1970s. The firm's Russia/CIS practice group is part of the firm's Business & International Section and is comprised of American and Russian lawyers who are fluent in both English and Russian.
The members of the Russia/CIS practice group have experience in all types of business transactions in Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and other republics of the former Soviet Union including planning, negotiation, documentation, registration, implementation, and operation. They have negotiated and documented transactions involving production, trading and other joint venture companies; major construction and services agreements; project financings; and other business transactions in these countries. In addition, they regularly advise clients on various facets of their operations in Russia and elsewhere including matters relating to energy, privatization, commercial and consumer products, telecommunications, real estate, banking, finance and capital markets.
The firm's Moscow office was established in 1991 and is one of the first representative offices of multinational law firms to be opened in the former Soviet Union.
Representative Russian/CIS Projects in the Energy Sector
The Russia/CIS practice group has been extensively involved in energy projects. The lawyers of the practice group have represented the interests of clients in the following representative matters in the energy sector:
- The Kazakh State pipeline company in its proposed multi-billion dollar project to transport crude oil from Kazakhstan.
- The Government of Turkmenistan on the initial stage of a large international pipeline construction and operation project. The representation included participation in drafting and negotiation of pipeline intergovernmental framework agreement and host government agreement for Turkmenistan.
- A major Finnish energy company in its joint ventures with a group of Russian geological companies operating in the Arctic areas of Russia.
- The Government of Kazakhstan in the negotiations with a large western exploration and production company on production sharing and joint venture projects in Western Kazakhstan.
- A major US-based oil and petrochemicals company in the negotiation and setting up of a multinational consortium for the proposed construction of $2 billion gas pipeline in Central Asia.
- A U.S. company which indirectly holds over 70% of a Russian joint stock company owning an exploration and production license for a group of oil fields in Western Siberia, Russia, in preparing and negotiating equity financing and leasing structures.
- A German joint stock company having a controlling interest in several Russian gas production companies in private placement to finance development and operation of several major gas fields in Yamalo-Nenetsky autonomous district.
- The Finnish state oil and chemical company in the privatization of the Finnish natural gas business through the formation of a Finnish private company partially owned by the Russian gas monopolist.
- A large U.S.-based industrial company in its attempts to increase the market share of the Russian gas monopolist with respect to eastern European projects.
- Large oil field equipment manufacturers and distributors in their operations in Russia, including structuring the import, sale, distribution and service contracts for such equipment.
- A privately owned foreign energy company in connection with a pipe manufacturing plant joint venture in Russia involving a large industrial complex and one of the largest Russian energy companies.
- A major oil company in its arrangements to establish a network of western style retail gasoline stations in Moscow.
- A U.S. intermediary in structuring a $60 million financing to be provided by Eximbank for oil field topping units under the Russian Framework Agreement to enhance the recovery of oil.
- A major U.S. energy company in a multi-billion dollar strategic partnership with a large Russian oil company to develop projects in the Caspian sea region.
- The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ("EBRD"), the International Finance Corporation ("IFC"), and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation ("OPIC") in connection with the $200 million project financing in Russia for Polar Lights Company, a joint venture between Conoco, Inc. and Arkangelskgeologia.
- EBRD and OPIC in the $80 million project financing in Russia for Chernogorskoye, a joint venture between a US independent oil company and Russian company Chernogorneft. Non-Russian and Russian security was provided in connection with the loan.
- A major European multinational company in its negotiations with a local company in the Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous district, regarding a new upstream joint venture.
- Various companies in connection with Central Asian and Caspian pipeline projects, including construction and financing work.
- A major international oil and gas company in the registration and licensing of what apparently was the first coal bed methane recovery project in the former Soviet Union.
- Several independent and publicly held oil and gas companies in establishing joint ventures with Russian production associations, joint stock companies and other Russian entities to develop oil fields in the Far North, Western Siberia, Tatarstan, the Far East, and the Perm regions of the Russian Federation.
- A large western oil company in its joint venture with one of the largest Russian private oil corporations. The work included structuring of shareholders' arrangement for the project, of debt and equity financing of the joint enterprise, and corporate matters.
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