Omni LAW FIRM

Energy and Natural Resources is an essential part of OMNI’s practice. We routinely advise various parties on all matters relating to energy and natural resources projects under and outside production sharing agreements (PSA). We are active in both oil and gas and mining matters.

The representative list of the matters we have handled in this practice area includes:

• advising a major European energy company on acquisition of interest in 2 PSAs;

• advising Gulf-based investors on legal issues relating to entry into a PSA;

• acting as a local counsel to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic and its subsidiary Az(ACG) Ltd. (holder of participating interest of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli PSA) in a series of secured financings with a total value of approximately USD 2 billion;

• representing major service providers in oil and gas sector in connection with establishment of a free export zone for oil service industry in Azerbaijan;

• advising large service providers under ACG PSA on structuring of its offshore operations;

• advising an international mining company on sub-soil, tax and licensing matters of Azerbaijani law and aspects of bidding for exploration and development of gold mines in Azerbaijan;

• advising in connection with transfer of participating interest in the production sharing agreements;

• advising numerous PSA and HGA sub-contractors on all aspects of tax, customs, commercial, employment laws and general compliance and regulatory matters;

• handling tax audits and tax litigations for PSA sub-contractors, which involved interpretation of PSA provisions and their interplay with statutory tax regime;

• advising a foreign investor on purchase of shares of a state enterprise in mining industry and matters relating to fulfillment of the privatization investment program;

• partner Ismail Zargarli has experience advising financial institutions on major pipeline construction projects in Azerbaijan and Georgia;

• advising on contentious matters in connection with production sharing agreements.