The Legal 500 > Latin America > Argentina > Oil and gas

The ‘highly commercial and pragmatic’ Martínez de Hoz & Rueda’s signature oil and gas offering ranks ‘among the best in Argentina’, according to satisfied clients. Particular praise is reserved for its ‘excellent combination of legal skills with a problem-solving approach’ and one client asserts that ‘it stands as a reference point on how to resolve complex industry issues’. The department’s impeccable balance is another recurring theme and it attracts wide acclaim for its broad sector expertise across the full spread of regulatory, transactional and contentious, particularly arbitral, matters. José Martínez de Hoz, who pairs regulatory with transactional prowess, is ‘one of the best oil and gas specialists in Argentina’ and recently advised Trafigura on its acquisition of the downstream business of Pampa Energía. He also teamed up with Tomás Lanardonne (‘a top expert in oil and gas regulation and contracts’), Juan Cruz Azzarri and the M&A practice to advise ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina on the acquisition of a 21% stake in midstream company Oldelval from Pampa Energía. Other names to note include senior partner Pablo Rueda, who is an ‘excellent counsel’ and co-leads the department alongside Martínez de Hoz, and talented associate Marcos Blanco.

‘Top-tier oil and gas practice’ Marval O’Farrell Mairal’s ‘extremely strong group’ is admired for its ‘impressive roster of clients’ and its ‘consistent involvement in key matters’. The team, which is well balanced between corporate, commercial and contentious work, is best known for its track record in multi-jurisdictional issues and it often leans on other departments within the firm to provide support on complex cases. Among its recent highlights, group head Francisco Macías acted hand-in-hand with the corporate and tax departments to advise BP on a joint venture with Bridas and CNOOC to form Pan American Energy Group. He is also leading the firm’s advice to various Argentine and Chilean clients in connection with several natural gas cross-border transactions; notably, these represent the first energy transactions between Chile and Argentina since 2010. On the contentious side, Macías represented gas distribution utility Litoral Gas in disputes concerning long-term gas supply contracts. Corporate finance partner Ricardo Beller is also a key contact.

Among Bruchou, Fernández Madero & Lombardi’s key attributes, clients highlight its ‘excellent attention to detail’, ‘personalised and committed service’ and ‘strong expertise in all segments of the energy business’. Group head Javier Rodríguez Galli, held up by many as a ‘leading oil and gas expert’, spearheads an increasingly high-profile team that is the first port of call for a burgeoning number of major multinational clients. Rodríguez Galli recently paired up with the M&A group to advise Vista Oil & Gas on the $400m acquisition of Argentine assets from Pampa Energía, including a controlling stake in Petrolera Entre Lomas. In another upstream highlight, he continues to advise Petronas E&P Argentina on the development, with YPF, of La Amarga Chica field. The group also benefits from a talented second line of associates, with María Agostina Milani singled out for her ‘strong knowledge, which provides comfort from both a legal and commercial standpoint’.

The ‘resurgent’ practice at Nicholson y Cano Abogados secures glowing praise for its recent activity in the shale gas area, with clients highlighting it as ‘really present in the market on the transactional side’. The ‘effective and efficient team’, which is well versed across a comprehensive spread of exploration, exploitation, transportation and distribution matters, is also keeping busy on the regulatory and contentious fronts. In a headline piece of M&A work, department co-lead Nicolás Perkins acted for Qatar Petroleum International on its acquisition of a minority interest in several concessions in the Vaca Muerta formation from affiliates of ExxonMobil. In another Vaca Muerta-related highlight, Mariana Guzian advised YPF on the amendment of project agreements with Chevron for the first shale oil projects in Argentina. Marcelo Lamesa co-leads a practice that also counts BP subsidiary Castrol, Pluspetrol and Shell as key clients.

The ‘very commercial’ group at Beccar Varela continues to strengthen its profile on the upstream front — it also has significant downstream experience. Corporate finance specialist Roberto Fortunati heads the department and is noted for his ‘strong industry and legal knowledge’; he advised American Energy Partners on its initial agreements with YPF for the exploration and development of the Vaca Muerta formation. Enap Sipetrol is also a key client and the firm assisted it with several recent matters, including on the sale of its participation in the Pampa del Castillo-La Guitarra concession to Capex. José Carlos Cueva is also recommended.

Estudio O'Farrell’s oil and gas practice, which sits within the firm’s wider public law and economic regulation department, is best known for its ‘deep experience and knowledge of industry regulation’. Indeed, as one client points out, ‘some of its partners were even involved in the design of the current market regulation’, which is a significant benefit on complex administrative law cases. Senior partner Uriel O’Farrell is a key contact for energy regulation and disputes; he acted alongside public law expert Agustín Siboldi to represent Pampa Energía on the renegotiation of the conditions of the national incentive scheme for the production of natural gas. Axion Energy is also a key client and O’Farrell, Siboldi and Agustina Fanelli Evans advise it on day-to-day regulatory and antitrust issues.

The renovation of Pérez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arntsen's hydrocarbons practice continues apace under the leadership of Francisco Javier Romano, who can draw on over 20 years' in-house experience at leading energy-sector corporates including Bridas, Pan American Energy and Chevron. His February 2018 incorporation was followed by that of senior associates Nicole Jaureguiberry, who focuses on public and administrative law; and Valeria Stemkauskas, a corporate and transactional lawyer who arrived from YPF where she spent over four years as a senior lawyer. Energy-focused associate Ignacio Payarola is also noted on a 13-strong team that also includes three other commercial and transactional partners. Recent mandates include advising Phoenix Global Resources on a $100m expansion of its involvement in Vaca Muerta's shale gas deposits ; and assisting Chevron with the sale of its Rio Negro-located oil-and-gas concessions Puesto Flores and Estancia Vieja to President Petroleum, and Loma Negra and La Yesera to Capex Group. Other recent matters include the purchase of a participating interest in three oil and gas concessions in the Province of Tierra del Fuego and the granting of the first non-conventional hydrocarbon concession in the Province of Mendoza.  Clients include Mercuria Energy Group, San Antonio International, Petrobras, Total, Wintershall Argentina, Sinopec Argentina and Petrolera El Trebol.

Allende & Brea’s multidisciplinary oil and gas practice handles a diverse spread of contractual, regulatory and M&A matters for an impressive stable of domestic and international companies. Key clients include Weatherford, which the team advises on day-to-day operational matters — oil and gas head Marcos Patrón Costas leads that work, together with the corporate department.

Mitrani Caballero & Ruiz Moreno Abogados’ practice, which is highlighted for its ‘good communication across disciplines’, continues to go from strength to strength under the leadership of Mariana Ardizzone. The team is also noted for its ‘strong and broad knowledge base’ and handles a varied mix of transactional and regulatory matters for domestic and multinational clients. Highlights included advising Echo Energy on its acquisition of interests in oil and gas assets in Argentina.