Tom Valentine
Senior Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Tom Valentine has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, both as a barrister and a solicitor.
In 2002 and 2003, Tom lived in Doha, Qatar, where he was senior counsel (projects) with Qatar Petroleum. While in Qatar, he was responsible for a number of international gas and LNG projects, including projects in the United Kingdom (Qatargas II), India (RasGas) and Spain (Endesa Generacion).
Since returning to Canada his work continues to focus on oil, gas (including LNG) and project development work, including fiscal regime analysis and negotiations, E&P work, joint venture structuring, joint operations issues, purchase and sale agreements, and decommissioning obligations.
He currently provides legal advice to various gas and LNG projects (both upstream and downstream) in Asia, Nigeria, South America, North America and the Middle East. Each year Tom delivers lectures and teaches workshops on natural gas and LNG contracts in Perth, Doha, London, Dubai, Singapore, Seoul, Algeria, Brunei, Johannesburg, Rio and Mozambique.
Professional experience
Collapse allLL.M., London School of Economics, 1989
LL.B., Dalhousie University, 1986
B.A., University of British Columbia, 1983
- Alberta 1987
Tom has acted recently for the following clients:
- Republic of Palau: Advisor to the minister of energy and the president regarding the preparation and implementation of a new petroleum law and associated regulations. Engagement involves training, negotiating, drafting and implementing new gas and oil laws and is being executed with the support of the World Bank
- Kitimat LNG Inc. Project for permitting, financing, construction and operation of a two-train liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction terminal at Kitimat, BC, and the export of LNG to Asia. Relevant work has included gas supply and transportation issues, land acquisition, facility permitting, environmental review, EPC, project financing, and joint venture project development work with US partners
- Trinidad & Tobago: Provided advice with respect to production-sharing agreement issues and the development of fiscal regimes for deep water gas and oil field development. Engagement was with respect to various issues including upstream and downstream gas pricing analysis
- Iran: Provided advice with respect to various issues regarding oil and gas operations, including Canadian and American export control analysis and in‑country logistics risk assessment
- Cyprus: Legal advisor and presenter to the Government of Cyprus, Electricity Board, with respect to a proposal for development of a LNG regasification facility. The board is a state-owned, vertically integrated electricity company and is examining the development of an LNG regasification terminal that is promoted by the Government of Cyprus and will also be the major gas offtaker
- Peru: Legal advisor and presenter to the vice minister of energy and mining of Peru with respect to a project to develop, construct and operate an LNG facility at Pampa Melchorita, Peru. The feedgas for the project will be produced from Blocks 56 and 88 in the Camisea gas fields of east-central Peru, and will be transported by pipeline to the west coast via the existing Transportadora de Gas del Peru pipeline and a new, 408-kilometre connection pipeline to be constructed by Peru LNG
- New York: Legal advisor to Safe Harbour Energy, a project being developed by the Atlantic Sea Island Group LLC to construct a man-made island south of the city of Long Beach, New York, and build an LNG receiving, storage and regasification facility on that island. The 36”-diameter pipelines will connect the terminal to an existing offshore pipeline owned and operated by Trans Continental Gas Pipeline Corporation
- Iraq (Kurdistan): Legal counsel to WesternZagros Resources Inc., a Canadian E&P company with oil and gas assets in Kurdistan. Related work includes seismic services agreements, EPSA issues, and general upstream operational agreements
- Nigeria: Legal counsel to an upstream LNG Project being developed by Moni Pulo Limited (a Nigerian Company) and Brass Exploration Unlimited (a Nigerian company). The project will develop a floating liquefied natural gas liquefaction plant and associated facilities in the Oron River region in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
- Ghana: Counsel to a publicly listed Canadian E&P company with respect to the acquisition of two offshore production sharing agreements with the Ghana government. Work included legal and political due diligence as well as negotiation of the PSAs
- Best Lawyers in Canada: Energy Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas Law, 2024-2025
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2020-2024: recommended in Energy (Oil & Gas)
- Who's Who Legal: Canada - Energy 2020
- “The Law and Business of Liquefied Natural Gas” (book review), Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law, spring 2008.
- “Liquefied Natural Gas: The Law and Business of LNG” (book review), November 2007.
- “The World is Watching: Increased Interest in Alberta’s Oil Sands,” Oilweek, October 2004.
- “LNG Project: A Legal Framework,” Oilweek, September 2004.
- “Canada’s West Coast Positioned for LNG Success,” Oilweek, August 2004.
- “The World LNG 14 Conference: Another Success Story for Qatar,” Oilweek, May 2004.
2018
- Course leader, "World Legal Systems," 5-day course, London, UK, London Petro Academy Apr 22 – 28, 2018.
- Course leader, "Gas & LNG Contracts Masterclass," 3-day course, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, for CWC School for Energy, Aug 10 19, 2018.
- Course leader, "Gas & LNG Contracts Negotiations," 3-day course, Dubai, UAE, for London Petro Academy Nov 7 – 9, 2018.
- Course leader, "Gas & LNG Contracts and Negotiations," 3-day course, Maputo, Mozambique, for CWC School for Energy Nov 12 – 14, 2018.
- Course leader, "Gas and LNG Contract and Negotiations," 3-day course, Singapore for CWC School for Energy, Dec 3 – 5, 2018.
- Course leader, "Gas & LNG Contracts Masterclass," 2-day course, Seoul, South Korea, for CWC School for Energy, Dec 6 – 7, 2018.
- Course leader, "Gas & LNG Contracts Masterclass," 3-day course, Doha, Qatar, for CWC School for Energy, Dec 10 – 12, 2018.
2017
- Course leader, "PSC Negotiation and Managment," 8-day course, Perth, Australia, for Woodside LNG c/o CWC School for Energy, February 11 – 28, 2017.
- Course leader, "Oil & Gas Tendering and Contracts," 3-day course, Algiers, Algeria, Repsol for London Petro Academy May 21 – 25, 2017.
- Course leader, "Gas & LNG Contracts and Negotiations," 3-day course, Maputo, Mozambique, for CWC School for Energy, Sept 11 – 13, 2017.
- Law Society of Alberta
- Canada-Arab Business Council
- Association of International Petroleum Negotiators