Alex Blomfield

Alex Blomfield is a Senior Lawyer at Wikborg Rein's Oslo office and is part of the Energy and Natural Resources group.

Blomfield specialises in the development and financing of projects worldwide and has advised and represented national Governments, State-owned utilities, petroleum producers, project sponsors, international consortia, and development finance institutions in relation to the development, privatisation and/or financing of projects, located in over thirteen countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Blomfield has a particular interest in renewable energy and has also advised on the carbon-related aspects of such projects.

He is admitted to practice in England and Wales and New South Wales, Australia. He speaks fluent German and English as well as basic Norwegian, Russian and Italian.

Curriculum Vitae

Relevant experience:

• Project finance experience
  Greece 
  International counsel to Hellenic Petroleum on a range of issues relating to the procurement of engineering design and licensed technology for the Elefsis Refinery Expansion project in Greece.
  
  Hungary 
  International counsel to AES in drafting coal supply contract and assisting with the power purchase agreement for a coal-fired project in Hungary.
  
  Jordan
  International counsel to a consortium formed by AES, Mitsui and Tohoku in connection with their unsuccessful bid for a 280 to 400 megawatt (MW) power project at Al Qatrana, Jordan.
  
  Oman
  - International counsel to the Government of Oman in relation to the privatisation of Al-Rusail Power Company S.A.O.C. and the development, ownership and operation of the Barka Phase II Power and Desalination Project. This deal won highly commended in the Global Water Intelligence, Global Water Awards 2008, Power and Water Deal of the Year category.
  - International counsel to Veolia on the development of the Sur desalination project in Oman.
  
  Panama
  International counsel to Fountain Intertrade Corporation in respect of the development and financing of the 58 MW Bajo Frio hydro-electric power project.
  
  Peru
  International counsel to SN Power in respect of the development and financing of the 168 MW Cheves hydro-electric power project.
  
  Russia
  International counsel to Gazprom on its shareholders' agreement for the Shtokman project and related matters.
  
  Saudi Arabia
  International counsel to Delta Oil on the development of a large petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia, including advising on commercial and construction contracts.
  
  South Africa
  - International counsel to Suez-Tractebel S.A. on the financing of the peakers IPPs in South Africa.
  - International Counsel to Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank AG in connection with the restructuring of a project financing for a gold mining project in South Africa.
  
  Uganda
  International counsel to Sithe Energies and Industrial Promotion Services (an affiliate of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development) in connection with the development and financing of the US$900 million of the 250MW Bujagali hydro-electric power project on the River Nile in Uganda. This is one of the largest power sector project financings in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a financing involving 10 lenders before syndication. This deal won the 2007 African Power Deal of the Year award from Project Finance Magazine. Also advised the project sponsors on their agreement with a CDM project consultancy firm on the registration of this project as a CDM project under the Kyoto Protocol.
  
  Ukraine
  International counsel to the sponsors of a steel plant in Ukraine on changes to construction and supply contracts.
  
  United Arab Emirates
  - International counsel to the sponsors with regard to development and interim financing of Abu Dhabi’s sewage treatment project consisting of two wastewater treatment plants and related special facilities plants in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
  - International counsel to the successful bidder on the development and interim financing of the Shuweihat 2 IWPP in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
  
  Other
  International counsel to project sponsors in respect of a concession agreement for a palm oil plantation in West Africa.
  
  
• Other finance experience
  Kazakhstan
  International counsel to the International Finance Corporation on its $80 million loan to Bank Caspian, a leading retail bank in Kazakhstan.
  
  Russia
  - International counsel to a major Russian pulp and paper producer on its loan agreement with a Swedish bank, which involved compliance with the requirements of Finnvera (the Finnish export credit agency).
  - International counsel to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in connection with its acquisition of a minority equity stake in TGK-9, a regional generating company powering some of Russia’s key industrial areas.
  - International counsel to EBRD and Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbh on equity and loan financing of an equipment leasing company in Russia.
  - International counsel to Swedbank on a facility agreement for a company incorporated in Cyprus, and a related put option agreement and share pledge.
  - advised Russian citizen on corporate loan by company controlled by him and English law security.
  
  Ukraine
  International counsel to Bank Hapoalim B.M. on a loan to a Ukrainian bank.
  
  Other
  Advised Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) on the application of its Upstream Capital Costs Index and presented to major oil company representatives on this topic in Houston, Texas.
  
  
• Seminar
  - Co-organised seminar entitled "Carbon Markets - How to Make Money and Stay Green", London, 18 September 2008
  - Seminar presentation to the Shipping Professional Network in London (SPNL) "Construction and financing of offshore wind projects", 20 July 2011 (click here to view the presentation in PDF-format)
  
  

Work experience:

• 2012 - Senior Lawyer, Wikborg Rein, Oslo
• 2010-2011 Senior Associate, Wikborg Rein, Oslo
• 2007-2009 Associate, Chadbourne & Parke, London
• 2006-2007 Associate, Berwin Leighton Paisner, London
• 2001-2006 Associate, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Sydney
  

Publications:

• "Realising Africa's Hydropower Potential", Infrastructure Journal, October 6, 2008
• "Making Green with Green: Biofuels in Russia and Ukraine: Part I - Introducing Biofuels", Russia and CIS Legal NewsWire, October 2008
• "Carbon Reduction Projects in Africa", Project Finance NewsWire, June 2008
• “Big MACs and how to use them”, Across the Board, March 2006
• “Disclosure in the due diligence context: is there a duty of fairness?’, Vol. 3(6) Corporations Practice
• “Bribery and corruption in foreign countries – is your company immune?”, Vol. 3(7) Corporations Practice
• “Trade issues in the due diligence process”, parts 1 & II, July & August 2004 Vol. 1 (9 & 10) Corporations Practice 97 & 114
• “Selective share buy-back procedure under the Corporations Act”, Vol. 3(6) Corporations Practice
• "At the mercy of the weather. Weather risk in the construction of offshore wind projects", Clare Calnan, Guy Leonard and Alex Blomfield, Shipping Offshore Update no. 4, 2012
• "Offshore windpower: A new wind blowing", Clare Calnan, James Willn and Alex Blomfield, Wikborg Rein Shipping Offshore Update no. 3 2011
  
  

Education:

• 1999 BA (Honours in German), University of Sydney, (including exchange semester at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg, Germany)
• 2001 LLB (Honours), University of Sydney, (including exchange semester at Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany)
• 2006 Masters of International Law, University of Sydney,  (including Hanoi Winter School in Vietnamese Law)
• 2009 Financial Derivatives course as part of Chartered Institute of Securities & Investment Diploma