Practice Areas

Pipeline Construction and Operation & LNG/REGAS

SVMFA represents investors, creditors and operators in cross-border financing transactions and before the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) for the construction of pipelines and natural gas distribution and compression facilities.

We also represent companies in open bids for gas pipeline capacity expansions, negotiating tariffs and contract clauses with natural gas carriers and with the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP).

Our team advises companies on the review of legal, tax and environmental issues deriving from financing transactions and projects for the construction of liquefaction units and regasification terminals in Brazil.

In the late 1990s, the firm took part in the first leading case in Brazil over open access to the Bolivia-Brazil pipeline and since then we have been constantly advising clients on regulatory matters and on the analysis of ship-or-pay and take-or-pay clauses, make-up clauses, etc. We have also been representing investors in discussions with respect to the new Gas Law and the respective regulations by the ANP and state agencies, as well as in court actions involving natural gas assets in Bolivia and in Brazil.

How we can help:

  • Advice on EPC contracts, tolling agreements and BOT transactions.
  • Structuring of guarantees for pipeline financing, construction and operation.
  • Negotiation for land acquisition, establishment of rights-of-way and expropriations, among other matters.
  • Consulting on pipeline network expansion projects and construction of liquefaction and regasification units