Versión en Español

Philip Weems is co-head of King & Spalding’s Global Energy Practice.  Mr. Weems, who was based in Dubai from 2007-2010, now splits his time between the firm’s offices in Houston, Texas and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  Mr. Weems specializes in global energy and infrastructure transactions with a concentration on LNG / gas matters, upstream transactions and energy maritime issues.  

He also serves as arbitrator of international oil and gas and other energy disputes.  He is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators,  listed as an arbitrator for Dubai International Arbitration Centre disputes, and has served as arbitrator of energy disputes before the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (International Division of the American Arbitration Association) and the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

Mr. Weems served as President of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) from 2003-2004, and prior to being President served as Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors from 1999-2005.  He was Chairman of the 2002 AIPN International Joint Operating Agreement Revision Committee responsible for the second revision of the form.

Rankings in:

• Middle East Projects and Energy Lawyer, Chambers Global’s World's Leading Lawyers 2008-2010; Texas Energy and Natural Resources Lawyer, Chambers USA and Chambers Global’s Guides 2004-2007
  
  
• The Legal 500 – UAE Projects and Energy (2008-2010) 
  
  
• The International Who's Who of Oil & Gas Lawyers 2010 (listed in 2009 edition as top 12 “Most Highly Regarded Individuals - Global”) and International Who's Who of Business Lawyers 2011
  
  
• Euromoney’s Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers- Best of the Best 2010 (sole Middle East Energy nominee) and World's Leading Energy and Natural Resource Lawyers 2010
  
  
• Best Lawyers in America; Best Lawyers in United Arab Emirates 
  
  
• Transportation Energy Lawyer in 2007 Chambers USA Guide (firm ranking)
  
  
• Lawdragon “500 New Stars, New Worlds” list of leading lawyers in the U.S.

Prior to joining King & Spalding as a Partner, Mr. Weems was Senior Counsel for ARCO in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he served as lead attorney for the Tangguh LNG Project from 1997-1999.  During 1996-1997, he was responsible for the legal aspects of ARCO's operations in the Middle East and Southern Africa.  From 1990-1996, Mr. Weems was Associate General Counsel of Virginia Indonesia Company (a major supplier of natural gas to the Bontang LNG Plant), based in Jakarta.  In this capacity he was lead legal adviser to senior management of PERTAMINA on LNG and LPG matters.

Mr. Weems received his J.D., cum laude, from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1982. He received a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney, Australia in 1984. He holds a Certificate of Advanced Study (1989) from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management.  He is a member of the California and Texas Bar Associations.

Mr. Weems is the author of a number of energy law publications and speeches, including:

• Co-Chair, 62nd and 63rd Annual Oil and Gas Law Conferences, Institute for Energy Law (CAIL), Houston (2011-2012).
  
  
• “Participating Agreements, Dispute Resolution, and Gas Contracts”, AIPN Core Course, Singapore, March 2010.
  
  
• “LNG Contract”, Gas Arabia Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 2010.
  
  
• “LNG and Natural Gas Contracts,” Two Day Course, a segment of the International Oil & Gas Law, Contracts and Negotiations Short Course: Part 2, Midstream Issues and Agreements, Houston, 1999-2009
  
  
• “Top 10 Challenges Facing the LNG Industry in 2008” (AIPN Singapore, June 2008)
  
  
• Co-Chair, 3rd and 4th Law of LNG Conferences, Houston (2006-2007)
  
  
• “Multi-User LNG Terminals: Will the Trend Penetrate the Asian Market,” LNG Supplies for Asian Markets, Singapore (2007)
  
  
• “Middle East Gas at a Crossroads”, Middle East Petroleum & Gas, Dubai (2007)
  
  
• Atlantic Basin LNG Sees Rapid Growth; Mideast Capacity Plays Major Role, LNG Observer (2007)
  
  
• “Key Factors Affecting the Success of Gas Pipeline Projects, AIPN International Conference, Perth, Australia (2006)
  
  
• “Upstream Government Petroleum Contracts,” Two Day Seminar, Dubai (2006), Rio de Janeiro (2005) and Singapore (2004 and 2007)
  
  
• “LNG Marketing Workshop, Two Day Course, Jakarta, Indonesia, January 11-12, 2006 (sponsored by AIPN, BPMigas, Chevron and ConocoPhillips)
  
  
• “The Evolution of LNG Sales Contracts,” LNG Journal (2006)
  
  
• “Agreements for LNG Terminal Services,” 6th World LNG Summit, Rome ( 2005)
  
  
• “Evolution of LNG Sales Contracts: Trends and Issues,” 2nd Annual of Law of LNG Conference, Houston, Texas, September 2005
  
  
• “Sparring Session: Head-to-Head on Gas Sales Agreements,” AIPN Spring Conference, Houston, 2005
  
  
• “HNS Convention and Its Effects on the LNG Trade,” GasTech, Bilbao, Spain, 2005
  
  
• “LNG Purchase Alternatives in Today’s Marketplace,” BNAmerica’s LNG Roundtable, Santiago, Chile, 2004
  
  
• “LNG Terminal Use Agreements,” LNG North America (Houston) May 2004
  
  
• “Potential Liabilities for Casualties in LNG Shipping,” Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators, San Francisco 2004
  
  
• “A Ship in Port is Safe…,” Petroleum Economist: Fundamentals of the Global LNG Industry 2004 (March 2004) (co-author with K. Keenan)
  
  
• “Key Issues in Gas Clauses Affecting Export Projects,” The Production Sharing Contracts Roundtable III, November 7, 2003, Houston
  
  
• “Highlights of Key Revisions - 2002 AIPN Model JOA,” International Energy Law and Taxation Review (2003) (co-author with M. Bolton)
  
  
• “Time Charter Parties in the LNG Trade,” LNG Journal (January-February 2001)
  
  
• “Overview of Issues Common to Structuring, Negotiating and Documenting LNG Projects,” International Energy Law and Taxation Review (Issue 8, 2000)

His LNG experience includes significant, “cutting-edge” export, transport and import projects, such as:  

• representation of Singapore Energy Market Authority on all aspects of the new Singapore LNG Terminal, including negotiations with BG as Aggregator;
  
  
• greenfield LNG projects in Papua New Guinea and Nigeria;
  
  
• terminal use agreements and related LNG contracts for the Freeport and Cheniere terminals, two of the largest multi-user terminals in the world;
  
  
• time charters for the “Energy Bridge” LNG fleet, the world’s first on-board regasification vessels; and
  
  
• ex-ship and FOB sales to Asian buyers with quantities exceeding 8 million tons per annum.