Energy and Infrastructure

Energy and Infrastructure

Meitar’s energy and infrastructure practice covers a wide range of fields in the energy sector, including upstream oil and gas, transboundary transactions, upstream regulation, electricity and natural gas purchase and transportation agreements, renewable energy ventures and infrastructure projects.

We advise on projects in the energy sector, including applicable laws and regulation for upstream and downstream natural gas projects, from the inception of the venture through completion of the project.

Our energy and infrastructure practice team is multidisciplinary and provides comprehensive advice to our energy clients. Tax, anti-trust, corporate, environment, labor and litigation practices work with our energy clients, gaining expertise in applying their specific expertise to the energy sector.

Meitar’s energy practice is headed by Renelle Joffe, formerly a senior legal advisor with the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC, the integrated Israeli electricity utility). Renelle served for a decade as Legal Advisor for Natural Gas and Fuels at Israel Electric Corporation, and her experience includes negotiating international energy agreements for IEC, including the purchase of natural gas from Egypt.

Renelle is co-Chairperson of the recently formed Energy and Infrastructure Committee of the Israeli Bar Association. The IBA formed the committee at Renelle’s initiative, in light of the increasing legal work in this sector, with new regulation in the electricity sector being published regularly, particularly in the renewable energy sector, and with the development of the natural gas sector.

Representative experience

Upstream oil and gas:

• Ongoing regulatory advice, including upstream regulation, antitrust and tax to Energean Group.
• Representation of Energean in the gas sales and purchase agreements between Energean Israel Limited and gas buyers. In the past year 12 GSPAs were signed, predominantly with the Israel Corporation Group, including the Oil Refineries, Dead Sea works and OPC, Dalia Energies Ltd.
• Representation of Energean in a secured Senior Credit Facility of up to US$1.275 billion from leading investment banks – Morgan Stanley, Natixis, Bank Hapoalim and Societe Generale as Mandated Lead Arrangers.
• Representation of Energean in an initial public offering in London Stock Exchange, together with White&Case, in which the company raised approximately $ 460,000,000.
• Representation of Energean in petitions filed with the High Court of Justice by environmental groups. Both petitions were recently dismissed.
• Ongoing representation of several international contractors working on exploration and development offshore Israel, including advice on applicable legal regime, on regulatory, corporate, tax, labor and immigration aspects.
• Representation in transboundary and local purchase of Tamar and Leviathan gas.
• Regulatory and other advice and support for transactions for export of Israeli gas to East Mediterranean countries.
• Ongoing representation of offshore petroleum license holders in their exploration activities: in connection with regulatory matters and agreements.
• Ongoing representation of license holders offshore Israel in all matters with respect to the Petroleum Commissioner and the Ministry of Energy, including extension of licenses, work program, unitization issues between Israel and Cyprus, etc.
• Gas transportation agreements and transmission regulation.

Gas Purchase:

• Ongoing representation of Dalia Power Energies, the leading potential Independent Power Producer, in its gas purchase from the “Tamar” field.
• Ongoing representation of a group of conventional and cogeneration stations, in their gas purchase from the “Tamar” fields.
• Ongoing representation of Super Natural Gas, one of the newly formed gas marketing companies, in its gas purchase and marketing activities.
• Representation of IEC in its 5 BCM purchase of natural gas from the soon to be depleted Mari B field.
• Advising the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) on its agreement for purchase of natural gas from Egypt (while serving as Legal Advisor for Natural Gas and Fuels of IEC).
• Advising the Israel Electric Corporation on agreement for purchase of natural gas from the Noble-Delek consortium offshore Israel (while serving as Legal Advisor for Natural Gas and Fuels of IEC).

Downstream oil and gas:

• Representation of Super N.G. Distribution Company, one of the two existing natural gas distribution companies, in providing all requisite legal services connected to construction and operation of the gas distribution network in the Central Area of Israel.
• Representation of gas shippers in negotiating gas transportation arrangements with the local natural gas transportation monopoly, including the Oil Refineries.

Electricity and EPC related work:

• Advising companies on purchase of electricity from Independent Power Producers.
• Advising IPPs on their Power Purchase Agreement with IEC/system manager.
• Advising clients on cogeneration stations.
• Representation of an international consortium in the provision of EPC services for an IPP station.

Renewable Energy:

• Advising one of the major European wind companies in a possible venture in Israel.
• Advising one of the leading importers of PV panels into Israel.
• Advising companies regarding renewable energy regulation.
• Representation of leading international renewable energy companies, in renewable energy ventures and projects in Israel.
• Representation of several Israeli entrepreneurs in potential energy projects in renewable energy in Israel and outside of Israel.

Natural gas related tenders:

• Representation of an international consortium in the LNG tender process, which is a BOT tender for the financing, construction and operation of an offshore LNG terminal.
• Representation of one of Israel’s leading fuel companies in the recently published gas distribution tender for the Southern region of Israel.
• Advising participants in energy related governmental tenders, including the Electra-Elco group in the natural gas distribution tender for the Negev area.