Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Holland & Knight’s Energy Team provides a full array of legal services across the entire Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) spectrum. Our attorneys and professionals regularly counsel clients in matters involving supply liquefaction, regasification and distribution; shipping; and import terminal development and operation.
Diverse Client Base
Our clients include the nation’s oldest continuously operating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal; developers of offshore facilities and various processing, storage and distribution projects and gas producers, including offshore exploration and production ventures. In addition, we represent domestic and multinational corporations and trade associations involved in LNG ocean shipping, pipeline and high technology industries, including domestic and foreign vessel owners and operators, financial institutions and bondholders, LNG terminals, shipyards, EPC contractors, natural gas producers, and pipeline owners and marketers.
Industry Experience Working to Protect Your Interests
Members of our team have extensive industry knowledge and experience gained from serving in previous positions such as:
- former Legislative Affairs staff member for the Secretary of the Navy
- former special assistant for Law of the Sea matters, International Law Division, Navy JAG
- former assistant general counsel for GDF Suez LNG North America LLC and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Distrigas of Massachusetts LLC
- former deputy general counsel of Department of Homeland Security
- former Maritime Administration LNG terminals licensing counsel
- former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) counsel
- former assistant director in the FERC first Office of Enforcement
- former president of the Energy Bar Association
Offering Representation in Every Aspect of LNG Law
Holland & Knight has the professionals and resources to represent you in every sector of the LNG industry. From supply to shipping to importing, and from wellhead to burner tip, our team will provide you with experienced and strategic business, regulatory, litigation and legislative counsel to support your LNG interests anywhere across the globe.
LNG Supply Liquefaction, Regasification and Distribution
In LNG supply and liquefaction, we will help you with all types of project finance, including equity investment, suppliers' finance and foreign government export credit. In addition, we will provide counsel for facility and infrastructure development; EPC contracting and specialty equipment procurement; project development, including DBOM, BOO, BOT, BLT and Public-Private Partnerships (P3); concession and prepay financing arrangements; long-term supply contracts and LNG Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPAs); spot cargo agreements, including both FOB and CIF terms; marketing; trading and risk management techniques, including instruments such as contracts for delivery, swaps and derivatives; homeland and maritime security requirements under international maritime law; and concomitant provisions of the U.S. Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 and Department of Homeland Security CFATS compliance.
LNG Maritime and Shipping
Our team will support your extensive LNG maritime and shipping interests, including financing new building construction of LNG carriers and specialty tug-boats; bareboat and time charter party agreements; federal, state and local tax advice; all aspects of regulatory compliance, including ship security, cargo manifesting, vessel crew requirements and U.S. Certificates of Financial Responsibility; international maritime convention compliance (IMO SOLAS, STCW, ISM and other standards); discharge port requirements, including personal relationships with many United States Coast Guard Captains of the Port; U.S. Department of Energy import licensing; U.S. vessel documentation laws, especially Jones Act requirements and impact on operations; U.S. maritime regulatory ruling letters; immediate representation in the event of a maritime casualty provided by our “Rapid Response” team; maritime insurance advice, including potential “war-risk” riders and representation of offshore facilities governed by the Deepwater Port Act Amendments.
Import Terminal Development and Operation
We are adept at terminal development and operation matters and will guide you through any issue that arises, such as financing, including equity investment and conventional lending; import terminal project development and expansion; permitting and siting; import terminal regulatory requirements, including FERC, EPA, USCG and DOT rules; EPC contracting and specialty equipment procurement, including familiarity with specialized engineering codes such as NFPA 59A; government relations, including legislative and policy development and strategic communications (including crisis management) on the federal, state and local levels; LNG sales contracts, including FERC tariff agreements governing sales for re-sale and negotiated end-user agreements for power plants and other industrial users; LNG trucking requirements; natural gas transportation and Precedent agreements with pipeline companies; and LNG storage agreements and capacity-release contracts.