Oil and Gas

Bowmans has a wealth of experience in Africa covering jurisdictions with both emerging and mature hydrocarbon markets.

We cover the full spectrum of energy-related work for our clients.

Our oil and gas experience covers the full range of issues arising through the life cycle of an asset or project and all aspects of the oil and gas supply chain.

We understand the different energy markets across the region and the challenges to the development of the sector.

Our transactional expertise covers the full spectrum of M&A project and finance documentation.

Our clients include international oil companies, independent oil and gas companies, developers, sponsors, public utilities, funds, commercial banks and other financial institutions, governments and international law firms.

Recent significant matters include advising:

• Chevron Global Energy, Inc. (CGEI) on all South African law aspects of its disposal of its midstream and downstream operations in Southern Africa to Sinopec, and eventual disposal to Off The Shelf Investments 56 (OTS), Chevron SA’s empowerment partner. Acted as joint counsel to CGEI on the initial auction to Sinopec and eventual sale to OTS. The transaction is valued at approximately USD 900 million.
• ExxonMobil on the acquisition of a 75% participating interest in the Tugela South Exploration Right in South Africa.
• Gigajoule International and Beluluane Gas Company and its affiliates on the importation of Liquified Natural Gas to a permanently moored Floating Storage and Regasification Unit in the Matola Harbour, the connection of that facility to a gas-fired power plant in the Beluluane Industrial Park and, via the Matola Gas Company infrastructure, to the South African gas network.
• Matola Gas Company on the gas supply agreements and PPAs for the gas-fired power station in Mozambique, which involved EdM as off-taker together with a wheeling arrangement to sell and transport power to NamPower in Namibia.
• Petregaz Holdings Pte. Ltd, a Singapore-based international liquified petroleum gas trading and ship-owning company, on various acquisitions in South Africa, including: (i) the acquisition of Quest Petroleum and its related entities; (ii) the acquisition of Jubane Petroleum and its affiliate entities; and (iii) the investment into Camel Fuels.
• Sasol South Africa on its accelerated asset disposal programme over a three-year period in respect of various non-core activities. Given Sasol’s involvement in the petrochemicals business, these disposals involve complex environmental considerations, which often continue beyond the completion of the main mergers and acquisitions transaction. We worked closely with in-house Sasol teams in various divisions on these matters and continue to assist Sasol in its strategic activities.
• Shell South Africa on various petroleum and energy-related matters, including making representations to the Department of Minerals and Energy regarding various aspects of the Petroleum Products Act and making submissions on the regulations relating to wholesalers, retailers and manufacturers.
• South African IPP Office Gas to Power IPP Programme on the Gas to Power IPP Procurement Programme (3GW). We advised on all legal aspects of the entire supply chain, end-to-end, from the import of LNG, through to all regasification options (floating regasification and storage units and onshore regasification and storage terminals), port access arrangements, off-shore and on-shore gas pipelines, power generation facilities and transmission connection.