PAULO VALOIS PIRES

Practice Areas
O&G| M&A and JVs|Offshore Supply and Oilfield Services|Pipeline Operation & LNG Projects|Private Placements|Project and Corporate Finance|Mining

+55 21 2114 1700
[email protected]

Paulo_Valois_Pires

His practice involves the representation of IOCs, NOCs, private equities, financial institutions and suppliers in O&G, M&A, private placements, offshore supply, pipeline construction, LNG projects, infrastructure, and tax related matters.

He represents international and domestic clients in international tenders promoted by the Petroleum Agency and Petrobras for the divestment of onshore and offshore blocks, and also in complex bidding procedures for the charter of FPSOs, FSRUs, and FSOs.

In the last years, following with the energy transition, Paulo Valois has become directly involved in financing projects for renewable energy (wind and solar) and green hydrogen, with a special attention at the search for seeking regulatory and contractual solutions.

He started his career in 1989 as in-house counsel for Shell in Brazil. He is the co-head of the O&G practice group of the firm.

PUBLICATIONS AND SEMINARS

  • He is the author of the book “A Evolução do Monopólio Estatal do Petróleo” (1999) and organizer and co-author of the collection of articles “Temas de direito do petróleo e do gás natural I – II” (2002 and 2005), both published by Lumen Juris.
  • “The success of the deep-water tender in Mexico: “the Tequila effect in the Caipirinha Brazil”, TN Petróleo, 2017, (Paulo Valois Pires and José E. Siqueira).
  • “ANP realiza audiência pública sobre a individualização da produção”, TN Petróleo, 2017, (Paulo Valois Pires, Sônia Agel e José E. Siqueira).
  • “Realismo Mágico: o “farm-out” parcial das áreas objeto de Cessão Onerosa”, TN Petróleo, 2017 (Paulo Valois Pires and José E. Siqueira).
  • “Local Content and the current trends in the Oil & Gas sector”, TN Petróleo, 2012 (Paulo Valois Pires and Danielle Ludwig).
  • One of the contributors of the “Dicionário do Petróleo em Língua Portuguesa : exploração e produção de petróleo e gás: uma colaboração Brasil, Portugal e Angola” Eloi Fernández y Fernández, Oswaldo A. Pedrosa Junior; António Correia Pinto, 2009.
  • “Background and Trends of Upstream Activities in Brazil”, Association of International Petroleum Negotiators – AIPN nº 298, 2009 (Paulo Valois Pires and Peter Landsberg).
  • “The taxation of upstream activities in Brazil”, Latin Lawyer, 2009 (Paulo Valois Pires, Tacito Matos, and Ana Lucia Soares).
  • “A questão do livre acesso”, TN Petróleo nº 46, 2006.
  • “The Future of the Oil Industry”, Brazil Energy, September-October, 2006.
  • “New perspectives for the development of marginal fields in Brazil”, TB Petroleum, nº 21, 2006.
  • “Commentary on the Notice of Public Tender for the 7th Bid Round” TB Petroleum nº 20, 2005.
  • “Sétima Rodada de Licitações – As regras do edital”, TN Petróleo nº 44, 2005 (Paulo Valois Pires and Mariana Heck).
  • “Comentários sobre os aspectos jurídicos decorrentes da negociação de blocos em fase de desenvolvimento e de produção de óleo e de gás natural.” Temas do Direito do Petróleo e Gás Natural II, 2005.
  • “Prospects for foreign investments in Brazil’s oil refining industry” Latin America Energy Report, 2004 (Adriano Pires and Paulo Valois Pires).
  • “Key tax concerns in Brazil’s upstream hydrocarbons sector” Latin America Energy Report, 2004.
  • “Perspectivas da 6ª Rodada de Licitações” Valor Econômico, 2004 (Paulo Valois Pires and Mariana Heck).
  • “Contrato de concessão de petróleo na 6ª Rodada de licitações da ANP” Valor Econômico, 2004 (Paulo Valois Pires and Mariana Heck).
  • “O licenciamento ambiental de petróleo e de gás natural” Valor Econômico, 2004 (Paulo Valois Pires and Mariana Heck).
  • “Reflexões sobre o regime de licitação da Nova Lei das Estatais e a Lei do Petróleo”, TN Petróleo, 2017, Paulo Valois Pires.
  • “Environmental Licensing for Exploration and Production of Oil and Natural Gas in Brazil” Latin America – Energy Report, 2004 (Paulo Valois Pires and Mariana Heck).
  • “A 6ª Rodada de licitação e a ‘unitização” Valor Econômico, 2004.
  • “Aspectos tributários do petróleo e gás natural” Valor Econômico, 2004 (Paulo Valois Pires and Gustavo Brigagão).
  • “A review of Brazil’s rules concerning open access to gas pipelines” Latin America Energy Report, 2003.
  • “Comentários sobre os aspectos jurídicos decorrentes da negociação de campos maduros” Temas de Direito do Petróleo e Gás Natural, 2002.
  • “Brazil Petroleum Agency releases new rules for downstream market”, Latin American Law & Business Report, 2002 (Adriano Pires and Paulo Valois Pires).
  • “Regras para derivados do petróleo” Gazeta Mercantil, 2002.
  • “Licitação simplificada seria ruim”, Gazeta Mercantil, 2002.
  • “As bases do sucesso para a abertura do downstream”, Brasil Energia, 2002 (Adriano Pires and Paulo Valois Pires).
  • “Comentários sobre a constituição de consórcio para o desenvolvimento da produção de óleo e gás natural à luz do artigo 63 da Lei do Petróleo” Temas de Direito do Petróleo e do Gás Natural, 2002 (Condorcet Pereira de Rezende and Paulo Valois Pires).
  • “Breves considerações sobre o regime jurídico do downstream”, TN PETRÓLEO nº 13/2000.
  • “Balanço dos leilões de petróleo e do gás natural ‘Os resultados dos leilões impõem uma reflexão mais cuidadosa” Valor Econômico, 2000 (Adriano Pires and Paulo Valois Pires).
  • “REPETRO – os principais problemas do Regime Aduaneiro Especial de Exportação e de Importação de Bens destinados à exploração e à produção de petróleo e de gás natural” TN Petróleo nº 15, 2000.
  • “Considerações sobre o REPETRO”, Brazilian Business Revue – AMCHAM BRASIL, 2000.
  • “Distribuição do gás canalizado” POWER Petróleo, eletricidade e energias alternativas, Edição 3, 2000.
  • “The new role played by consortia in the upstream sector”, Brazilian Business Revue – AMCHAM BRASIL, 2000.
  • “Oil and gas regulation in Brazil: overview”, Thomson Reuter, 2017 to 2019.
  • “Oil and gas regulation in Brazil: overview”, Thomson Reuter, 2017 to 2019.

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

  • Assistant Professor of Law at Univeridade Cândido Mendes (1999-2002) and at Master Business in Petroleum of COPPE/UFRJ (2000-2004).

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

  • He has been recommended by important international and national publications such as Chambers and Partners: Oil & Gas, since 2006; The Legal 500 and Leaders League: Oil & Gas and Projects & Infrastructure; Latin lawyer 250: highly recommended; Euromoney: top ranked in “Experts’ Guide to the World’s Leading Energy and Natural Resource Lawyers“, since 2007, “Thought Leader in Energy and Natural Resources”, in 2018; Who´s Who Legal: Energy, since 2009, “Most Highly Regarded Individuals” and “Thought Leader  Energy, in 2018; LACCA, since 2014; Análise Advocacia: the most admired lawyers in Brazil. Also, he was nominated as one of the most influential lawyers in the country by the Brazilian edition of the GQ Magazine, in 2014.

EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

  • Legal consultancy in the financing of the project for the development of the “Campo de Albacora”, located in the Campos Basin, on the Brazilian continental margin. At that time, oil production from the “Campo de Albacora” represented approximately 10% of all production Brazilian oil.
  • Legal advice on the acquisition of a concession right in “Campo de Frade”, in the Campos Basin, on the Brazilian continental margin.
  • Legal advice on the due diligence carried out for the acquisition of 50% of “Campo de Peregrino”, located in the Campos Basin, on the Brazilian continental margin.
  • Legal advice on the due diligence and partial acquisition of 35% of blocks SM-1037, SM-1102, SM-1101 and SM-1165, located in the Santos Basin, on the Brazilian continental margin.
  • Legal advice on the acquisition of 51% of the operating exploration of 21 blocks located in the onshore Solimões Basin.
  • Legal advice on the strategy and farm-down of a large number of blocks (POT-T-392, POT-T-393, POTT-403, POT-T-404, POT-T-434 and POT-T-477, POT -T-701 and POT-T-881, BT-POT-43; BT-POT-48; BT-POT-49; BT-POT-63; BT-POT-64; BTPOT-403; BT-POT-404 ; BT-SEAL-8; BT-SEAL-15) located in the Potiguar and Sergipe Basins.
  • Legal advice to a non-operator on all legal and regulatory aspects and on the crisis management committee, as a result of the oil spill in Campo de Frade, in the Campos Basin, on the Brazilian continental margin.
  • Legal advice on the arbitration conducted by the National Petroleum Agency – ANP on access to the Bolivia-Brazil gas pipeline (Gasbol), which turned out to be the leading case in the oil sector in Brazil.
  • Legal consultancy in the divestment of the stake in Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolivia-Brasil – TBG, operator of the Bolivia-Brazil gas pipeline (Gasbol).
    Legal consultancy, to an international LNG supplier, in a bidding promoted for the operation of a FSRU regasification unit.
  • Legal advice on negotiations involving a service contract and charter for the operation of three semi-submersible drilling units (West Eminence, West Taurus and West Orion), considered the most important charter in Brazil.
  • Legal consultancy in the structuring and negotiations with a shipyard for the upgrade of the “Atlantic Star”, a semi-submersible floating unit, and the “Olinda Star”, a mobile drilling unit.
  • Legal advice to a supplier from Singapore, in negotiations for an operation and maintenance contract and lay-up of an FSO, as well as in a tender promoted for the charter of an FSO in the Campos Basin, on the Brazilian continental margin.
  • Legal advice regarding engineering, contracting and construction of 8 hulls and 4 floating FPSO units (“CASCOS FPSO”), as well as structuring the construction of the largest gantry crane in Brazil, at the Rio Grande shipyard.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • Admitted to Portuguese Bar Association.
  • Vice-chairman of the Brazilian Center of Mediation and Arbitration (CBMA – 2014-2016).
  • Director of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in Rio de Janeiro (2015-2016).
  • Tax Committee of National Organization of Oil Industry (ONIP – 2000-2002).
  • Vice-chairman of the Energy Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce (2000).
  • Member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) since 2005 and former alternate regional director of the AIPN Latin America Chapter.

EDUCATION

  • Master Degree in International Law by the University of São Paulo.
  • Master Business in Petroleum – MBP by the Federal University of State of Rio de Janeiro/COPPE.
  • Post-graduate diploma in International Law by the Université Robert Schuman, Strasbourg, France: Certificat des Hautes Études Européennes.
  • Law Degree by the University of State of Rio de Janeiro.

LANGUAGES

  • Portuguese, English, French and Spanish.

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