Projects, Energy & Infrastructure (Dispute Resolution)
Drew & Napier's Projects, Energy and Infrastructure (PE & I) Group is headed by Director Jimmy Yim and leverages on the strengths of multidisciplinary resources within the firm, such as our dispute resolution, mergers & acquisitions, banking, capital markets, and project finance teams. Our contentious and non-contentious specialists work together to offer clients a broad spectrum of skills and knowledge.
A distinguishing aspect of our PE & I group is our ability to work together with our dispute resolution team, the leading dispute resolution team in Singapore, and in particular, our construction and engineering dispute resolution team. The experience of our dispute resolution team with problems that tend to give rise to disputes in relation to the financing and implementation of projects benefits our PE & I clients both in avoiding those problems and in providing effective mechanisms for dealing with them if they do arise.
This combination of skills and experience enables Drew’s PE & I group to provide thorough solutions for our clients.
The group is involved in the broad spectrum of PE & I work from power and energy, telecommunications, transportation, waste disposal, water and construction to housing projects.
Our Energy practice includes the contractual arrangements for the development and operation of energy projects (including procurement, building, purchase of fuel stock and supply of energy), project financing, mergers and acquisitions of energy-related businesses and resolution of energy-related disputes.
The group has assisted natural gas utilities with the development of transmission and liquefied natural gas projects. We have also assisted independent developers and vendors on a broad range of energy project development activities including on-site industrial steam and power facilities, and the acquisition of numerous existing energy infrastructure facilities.
On the contentious front, arbitrations and court proceedings in which we have acted include disputes related to power plants, petroleum companies, oil and gas producers and coal producers.
Learn more about our Corporate & Finance capabilities in Projects, Energy & Infrastructure here.
For our Mineral, Oil and Gas capabilities, please click here.
Our Experience
Award Winning Deals
The PE&I Practice Group has been involved in many complex, innovative and award winning deals, some of which are listed below:
- Sindicatum Renewable Energy in its Triple-tranche Green Bond Offering. Listed as one of the top 50 landmark deals in 2018 involving Indian parties in India Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year awards
- PetroChina acquisition of Singapore Petroleum Company (US$2.2 billion): Asian Legal Business: SE Asia Legal Awards Singapore M&A Deal Of The Year 2010/ Asian-Counsel: Deal Of The Year 2009
- Financing of acquisition of Tuas Power by China Huaneng Group (US$3.12 billion): Asian-Counsel: Deal of the Year 2008 "Honourable Mention"
Other recent significant transactions include
Non-contentious
- acted for Hyflux Ltd and its subsidiaries in relation to the construction and estimated $890 million project financing of Singapore's second desalination plant, as well as the documentation and advice in relation to the design, engineering, construction, erection, completion, testing and commissioning of a combined cycle gas turbine power plant. This transaction involved Singapore's second and largest-to-date desalination plant, which will be constructed together with a combined cycle gas turbine power plant which will supply electricity to the desalination plant and sell excess power to Singapore’s electricity grid. The desalination plant is to be constructed under the Design, Build, Own and Operate model under a Public Private Partnership arrangement with the Public Utilities Board (Singapore’s statutory body in charge of water resources). This project is part of Singapore’s water management strategy which we understand to be the largest of its kind in Asia and the first combined desalination and power project developed in South East Asia.
- advising the developer on all construction project documentation (including EPC and O&M contracts) for the design, construction and commissioning of its gas-fired thermal power project in Taipei, Republic of Taiwan.
- advising the master developer on its US$10 billion island project off the north-eastern coast of Abu Dhabi in relation to its contracts for:
- design and construction of roads and bridges
- concession of and engineering, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance of a power distribution network (concession, DBO and off-take)
- concession of and engineering, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance of its water and waste-water distribution network (concession, DBO and off-take)
- concession, design and build and off-take agreements for the district cooling reticulation network and plant
Contentious
- acting for an employer against a turnkey EPC contractor in an international arbitration over the design and construction of a hydropower plant project.
- acted for a public-listed company in a multi-million dollar ICC arbitration over the design, construction and commissioning of an industrial boiler.
- acted for a company involved in an oil rigging dispute off the coast of Terengganu, Malaysia. This is a multiple-party arbitration case governed by Malaysian law.
- acted for a Japanese corporation in a joint-venture dispute with a Hong Kong public-listed corporation over solid waste disposal systems and incineration plants where the claims exceeds US$10 million and the contract is governed by Japanese law.
Accolades
The PE&I Practice Group is recognised as one of the most well established in Singapore. Its expertise is recognised in many leading international legal directories. The following are what some of them have to say about the group:
The Asia Pacific Legal 500
Projects & Energy 2024 - Tier 1; Tier 2 for 12 consecutive years
Recommended Lawyer:
Projects & Energy 2024
Jimmy Yim, SC
Mahesh Rai
Christopher Chong
Chua Tju Liang
Renu Menon
“One of the strongest teams in the region.”
“Outstanding in every respect.”
“Jimmy Yim, SC and Mahesh Rai are top-class, and think outside the box for solutions.”
“Comprehensive full-service firm with depth of expertise in a range of critical areas that are indispensable for our day-to-day operations. The firm brings a depth and breadth of knowledge to all key aspects of the disputes process.”
”Christopher Chong is a singularly exceptional practitioner, who is well-rounded in terms of depth of legal knowledge, commercial acumen, client responsiveness, innovation and unmatched local knowledge. His dedication to his craft and in assisting us to find sensible, practical and mutually beneficial solutions is close to peerless. Chris is backed by a solid team, whether as a whole or individually, who are more than capable of pulling their own weight and delivering value to us in the context of the role they play.”
“Mahesh is impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, able to listen well, and very good in communication. He also always comes up with great strategies.”
“Christopher Chong is very impressive in renewable projects disputes. He is supported by a solid team of associates.”
"Excellent sector knowledge."
The team is “sharp, responsive” and “dedicated”.
Team “renowned” for their “speed and efficiency”
“As with all dispute practices at the firm, the technical skills are top notch.”
Chambers Asia Pacific and Chambers Global
Projects & Energy 2016 - Tier 2
“Sources say: ‘They will be there for you right up until the very end, and their response time is tip-top." "Their strategic thinking and expertise are really unparalleled.’”
"They really listen and develop effective solutions."
“With strong dispute resolution and corporate practices at its core, this firm is well equipped to handle both projects litigation and high-value transactions.”
Jimmy Yim SC 's practice spans energy and resources projects and construction-related arbitration. Clients say he "quickly understands different aspects of a case and proposes a viable strategy."
asialaw Profiles
Infrastructure 2023 – Highly Recommended for 5 consecutive years
Energy 2023 – Recommended; Notable practice for 3 consecutive years
asialaw Leading Lawyers
Energy & Natural Resources 2018
Jimmy Yim, SC – Market Leading Lawyer for 2 consecutive years
IFLR1000
Project Development 2024 – Tier 3 for 3 consecutive years
Energy and Infrastructure 2017 – Tier 2 for 4 consecutive years
"Deep experience in infrastructure projects and related disputes."
“The firm has a strong track record in projects work especially in energy.”
Asian-MENA Counsel ‘In House Community Firm of the Year’
Projects and Project Financing Singapore Firm of the Year 2014
Practical Law Company Which Lawyer?
Project Finance 2012 – Recommended