UKELG Evening Talk: FPSOs – use, disputes and contractual variations

12 September 2018 London, England

Please contact the IBA Divisions team at divisions@int-bar.org for any questions.

The topic for this session, which will be jointly presented by Quadrant Chambers and Bracewell (UK) LLP, is FPSOs – use, disputes and contractual variations. Martin Stewart- Smith and John Gilbert of Bracewell will discuss the use of FPSOs, their financing, the structures used to own and operate them and the significant potential for disputes relating to them. Simon Rainey QC and Chris Smith of Quadrant Chambers will talk about the importance of the contractual variation regime in contracts for the conversion and refurbishment of FPSOs, and identify the pitfalls from the buyer and yard’s perspectives in this context, as well as potential safeguards that can be built into the contract.

Quadrant Chambers holds a pre-eminent position as a leading international commercial disputes set with a strong sector driven approach. We are involved in some of the largest and most complex energy disputes. Our members adopt a hands-on approach, combining considerable technical and industry knowledge with traditional legal and forensic skills.

Simon Rainey QC is one of the best-known and most highly regarded practitioners at the Commercial Bar with a high reputation for his intellect and advocacy skills. He is regularly involved in high value complex energy disputes and is ranked by Chambers UK in Band 1 for Energy & Natural Resources – ‘Exceptional for really complex energy cases, his particular skill lies in reducing the complicated to the elegantly simple.’

Chris Smith has a substantial energy practice and is frequently instructed in relation to disputes in both the offshore and onshore sectors. Chris is recommended as a leading barrister for energy and for shipping & commodities. ‘He has a razor-sharp mind and is very thorough. He comes up with brilliant arguments and gets great results.’

Bracewell is a leading law and government relations firm serving the oil and gas, power, financial services, technology and public finance industries throughout the world. The London office of Bracewell is exclusively dedicated to the energy sector. It focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, finance, project finance, project development and construction and dispute resolution. Its experienced team has acted on many of the largest and most high profile energy transactions, projects and disputes across the globe.

Martin Stewart-Smith is a partner in the London office with 30 years of experience in a wide range of energy transactions, ranging from upstream oil and gas developments to liquefied natural gas (LNG) project financings and downstream gas commercialisation.

John Gilbert is a partner in the international dispute resolution team who advises on a broad range of disputes relating to the energy sector with particular experience of oil and gas exploration and production.