Managing Joint Ventures in the Oil and Gas Sector

The oil & gas industry generally is based on JVs, in one form or another.  These JVs use various vehicles to ensure alignment and minimise conflict of interest between the parties.  These vehicles, including meetings, subcommittees and workshops, often involve many different people from various partners.

This 2-day course provides practical examples and ideas for delegates to engage their JVs and  to make their JVs work better, and to ensure their company’s interests are protected.

Participants will be guided through the framework of JVs, including processes and agreements, with a practical focus regarding what areas deserve attention.

The course has a strong focus on the way partners and Operator interact with each other, bringing practical ideas on how to communicate effectively within the JV and how to handle conflicts & misalignment.

It also delves into the principles and practices of negotiations relevant to a JV, including some JV-specific negotiation exercises.

There is a fundamental commercial overview throughout the course. Participants will be given specific ideas for how to address common JV issues with a commercial focus.

This course is not about “beating the other side” - it is about giving people an understanding of the principles & ideas to make their JVs more aligned and constructive, to find the best solution for the overall partnership.

Key Takeaways from Attending This Workshop:

• Maximise value and ensure success of your Joint Ventures (JVs)
• Allow those with limited experience of JVs to immediately contribute with confidence
• Gain ideas and suggestions in how to turnaround Joint Ventures that are inefficient, difficult or even hostile
• Influence JVs struggling with complex or major issues, either as Operator or non-Operator

This course is ideal for people with limited experience in JVs who wish to get up to speed quickly, more seasoned JV participants who are looking for practical ideas on how to better influence their JV, as well as those who are in difficult or hostile JVs that need to be made more efficient.

• Technical staff (eg geologists, drillers, reservoir engineers) who attend JV meetings
• Commercial analysts and advisors who interact with JVs
• Individuals who are identified as Joint Venture representatives or deputies
• Legal team members who engage with JV partners or Operator
• Joint Venture liaison staff (Operator and non-Operator)

Workshop Trainer has over 30 years international experience in the oil, LNG and gas business, mainly in the upstream commercial arena, specialising in managing JVs, business development and negotiations.

He has worked in JVs for most of his international career, preferring the external environment dealing and negotiating with partners and NOCs. Early in his career, he was seconded into the JV Alliance between BP and Statoil in Norway. He was the Shareholder Representative responsible for the ADGAS LNG JV for a major in Abu Dhabi. He has represented a major Operator in a number of extremely large and complicated JVs during intense periods prior to sanction, notably the Lan Tay / Lan Do gas project in Vietnam (the first major gas project in that country) and the Tangguh LNG project in Indonesia. 

He has also managed a number of JV partnerships, at various times on “both sides of the table”, ie for Operator as well as representing non-Operators where the asset is of critical importance to that non-Operator.

He has negotiated numerous agreements (farm-ins, unitizations, PSCs, JOAs) for many JVs, with many different companies, as both Operator and non-Operator. He has a track record of closing particularly complex and difficult negotiations.

He has lived and worked in the UK, Holland, Norway, Vietnam, Abu Dhabi, Indonesia and Singapore whilst working for BP, Hess, Salamander, Talisman, and Murphy. He has worked on projects in all Southeast Asian countries from time to time in regional roles.

Five negotiation exercises involving “real” issues related to JVs – designed to help participants improve their questioning skills, make counter-proposals and identify the root cause of a problem

“The trainer offers great commercial solutions to challenging issues that confront joint ventures”

General Counsel, Mitsui Oil Exploration Co., Ltd.

"He enhanced the course material with real and anecdotal examples relevant to the core subject. I have no hesitation in recommending his courses to anyone who needs to enrich their knowledge of topics related to the oil and gas industry"

Consultant Geoscientist

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Workshop venue to be confirmed.

Some attendees may have little experience on the dynamics of the various possible JV interactions, in terms of behaviours, procedures, or legal & commercial principles. This course will provide those participants context and ideas on how to positively influence JVs.

This course will also give ideas and suggestions for those with more experience of JVs, especially if their JV has over-bearing or conflicted Operators & Partners, either rejecting or simply ignoring their views. 

This course is unique in that it focuses on providing ideas and actions for people wishing to influence their JV interactions, while maintaining a fundamental commercial focus throughout.