Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

Allen & Gledhill LLP achieves a well deserved top tier ranking again for its energy and utilities work.Covering the entire spectrum of an energy project, ranging from project development to market regulatory advice, the group leverages off the firm’s ... [more]

Allen & Gledhill LLP achieves a well deserved top tier ranking again for its energy and utilities work.

Covering the entire spectrum of an energy project, ranging from project development to market regulatory advice, the group leverages off the firm’s financial expertise. Partners Kelvin Wong, Ho Chien Mien, Kok Chee Wai and Tan Wee Meng have been involved on some of the most significant infrastructure, energy and natural resource developments this year.

In one highlight deal, Wong led a team advising Changi Airport Fuel Hydrant Installation in a renewal of a 30-year operating licence to own, develop and operate the sole tank storage facility to Changi International Airport, together with ancillary arrangements involving, inter alia, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport Group.

In June 2010, Meng advised Keppel Integrated Engineering in its SGX listing of an infrastructure business trust involving two Waste-to-Energy plants and a NEWater plant. The deal marked the first infrastructure business trust to be listed on the SGX by way of introduction, and required the approval of several regulatory bodies such as the National Environment Agency and the Public Utilities Board.

Wong is described by one client as “technically sound, responsive, and very reliable”.

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Housing a broad range of expertise covering all areas of projects from start to finish as well as dispute resolution, Rajah & Tann’s 16 member construction and projects practice continues to earn its tier one ranking.Led by partners Chong Yee Leong and ... [more]

Housing a broad range of expertise covering all areas of projects from start to finish as well as dispute resolution, Rajah & Tann’s 16 member construction and projects practice continues to earn its tier one ranking.

Led by partners Chong Yee Leong and Soh Lip San, the group assists lenders such as export agencies and multilaterals on project funding arrangements as well as advising on contracts. A highlight this year saw the firm, led by San, advise an Indonesian engineering and construction company on the drafting of the EPCC contract, technical services and supply agreements and other project documents in relation to its two power plant projects in Timor Leste worth about US$365 million.

Peers speak highly of Chong’s “good professional working relationship”, while Chee Siong Sim and Chye Hoon Ho are also key contacts in the group.

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WongPartnership’s energy and projects practice provides transactional, advisory and dispute-related advice in a wide spectrum of front end and contentious energy and projects related matters.On the contentious front, the firm acts for clients in high ... [more]

WongPartnership’s energy and projects practice provides transactional, advisory and dispute-related advice in a wide spectrum of front end and contentious energy and projects related matters.

On the contentious front, the firm acts for clients in high profile and complex arbitration and court proceedings involving disputes arising from, among others, power plant projects, chemical facilities, waste water plants, utilities supply and off-take agreements.

Last year saw the firm play key roles in several significant front end and contentious matters, including advising on the S$900 million expansion of Keppel Merlimau Cogen plant on Jurong Island, Singapore.

Another highlight saw the firm, led by practice head Peng Cheng Tay, advise a hydrogen and synthesis gas plant owner on an arbitration with its end user over the cause of a prolonged outage at the plant.

In the non contentious space, the firm’s strengths lie in drafting and reviewing tender documents, consortium agreements, turnkey contracts, as well as supply agreements the oil and gas, petrochemical, waste water and marine industries. The team also draws on the firm’s corporate and finance expertise for project financing matters, takeovers and mergers and acquisitions.

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Best known for its market leading IP practice, ATMD Bird & Bird is fast building up a reputable practice in the energy and utilities sector.With partner Sandra Seah at the helm, the group has been focusing on developing expertise in the waste and waste ... [more]

Best known for its market leading IP practice, ATMD Bird & Bird is fast building up a reputable practice in the energy and utilities sector.

With partner Sandra Seah at the helm, the group has been focusing on developing expertise in the waste and waste practices, energy policy and regulatory space this year and now counts Singapore’s energy regulator, the Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMAS), and the National Environmental Agency among its clients.

In one noteworthy case, Seah led a team of advisers to the National Environmental Agency in the Consultancy Study for the Development of an Incineration Bottom Ash recycling plant based on the Design-Build-Own-Operate (DBOO) Scheme. In the past year, Seah has also advised the EMAS on state financing and leasing issues for the construction of Singapore first LNG terminal on Jurong Island.

As external corporate counsel to EMAS, the firm will also undertake prosecution cases for the regulator.

Partners S Sharma and consultant L Kuppanchetti are regular contributors in the group.

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TSMP’s energy and power practice continues to impress. Clients particularly value the team’s ability to revert with constructive suggestions in relatively short timeframes.“[Joint managing director] Stefanie Yuen Thio was very hands on advising on the ... [more]

TSMP’s energy and power practice continues to impress. Clients particularly value the team’s ability to revert with constructive suggestions in relatively short timeframes.

“[Joint managing director] Stefanie Yuen Thio was very hands on advising on the various aspects of the transaction, providing valuable legal advice that was both commercial and fair for both parties,” says one client.

Among a raft of significant mandates this year, executive director Derek Loh assisted an oil and gas contractor in its tender for an oilfield project in Egypt. The transaction arose at the time of the unrest in Egypt as a result of which a consideration of Force Majeure, ultra vires and contracting party concerns had to be addressed.

Loh also acted for a specialist contractor in its tender for a natural gas project in Papua New Guinea.

In the regulatory space, director Ian Lim is advising a major international chemical corporation on safety, regulatory and preventive matters following routing on the subway system in the vicinity of its production plant.

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Drew & Napier’s projects, energy and infrastructure group leverages the strength of the firm’s market leading dispute resolution team as well as its corporate and financial expertise, with involvement on a number of significant contentious and non contentious ... [more]

Drew & Napier’s projects, energy and infrastructure group leverages the strength of the firm’s market leading dispute resolution team as well as its corporate and financial expertise, with involvement on a number of significant contentious and non contentious cases this year.

The group focuses on power and energy, telecommunications, transportation, waste disposal, water, construction and housing projects. It also has proficiency in assisting multilateral agencies and export agencies that provide funding for infrastructure development in Asia.

Recent significant transactions include acting for PetroChina in its S$3.2 billion acquisition of Singapore Petroleum. The firm is also acting for Hyflux and its subsidiaries in relation to the construction and estimated S$890 million project financing of Singapore’s second and largest-to-date desalination plant. The plant will be constructed together with a combined cycle gas turbine power plant, which will supply electricity to the desalination plant and sell excess power to Singapore’s electricity grid.

Liam Beng Tan and Sandy Foo are key contributors to the practice.

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