史密夫近日协助中国海洋石油总公司(中海油)与英国图洛石油公司签署销售和购买协议,以收购该公司在乌干达三个勘探区各1/3的权益。
史密夫分别从香港,伦敦,和巴黎调遣人员,组成能源团队,为中海油提供法律服务。法律团队由史密夫亚洲能源部主任Anna Howell负责。其重要成员还包括合伙人David Clinch和Rebecca Major及资深律师Hilary Lau。
该交易总对价约为现金14.67亿美元。这一交易还有待中国和乌干达监管机构的批准,预计在2011年上半年完成。
此外,法国石油巨头道达尔也与图洛达成了收购上述勘探区域1/3权益的协议。这两项交易完成后,中海油、道达尔和图洛将分别拥有这三个区域1/3的权益。
Herbert Smith has advised China National Offshore Oil Corporation on its bid to acquire one third of Britain’s Tullow Oil Plc’s stake in a Ugandan oil exploration project.
Herbert Smith dispatched its energy teams from Hong Kong, London and Paris to work on the transaction valued at about US$1.47bn, which is payable in cash and subject to closing adjustment.
The deal which is still subject to approvals by both the Ugandan and Chinese governments, is expected to close in the first half of 2011.
Separately, France’s TOTAL S.A. agreed to purchase one third of Tullow’s stake in the same exploration areas.
Once the two deals are closed, CNOOC, Tullow and TOTAL will each own a one- third interest in the exploration areas 1, 2 and 3A located in the Lake Albert Rift Basin in Uganda. The three entities will integrate their development strategies across these areas, which is expected to produce over 200,000 barrels per day.
Anna Howell, Herbert Smith’s head of Asia energy led the firm’s team on the deal. She was assisted by fellow partners David Clinch and Rebecca Major, and senior associate Hilary Lau.
Herbert Smith has been a long-time external counsel of CNOOC, China’s third largest oil and gas conglomerate. The firm advised CNOOC on high-profile deals such as its liquefied natural gas agreement with Britain’s BG Group last year and its failed bid for Unocal in 2005. ALB
Related Stories: