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Michael is an energy lawyer based in King & Spalding's Tokyo office. He advises Japanese trading houses, Korean utilities, and international oil companies on commercial transactions across the global energy sector, with a focus on oil & gas, LNG, and FPSO project finance. His practice also covers hydrogen, ammonia, solar, and CCS. 

Michael regularly handles EPC, terminal use, vessel charter, and product offtake matters across the conventional and new energy space. He also completed an 18-month secondment to the energy legal department of a major Japanese trading company in Tokyo and, prior to joining King & Spalding, spent several years working in-house for a US upstream oil & gas company, in Houston and Kuala Lumpur.

Michael is admitted to practice law in Texas and is qualified as a Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi (Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association). He is fluent in Japanese (JLPT N1).

Credentials

J.D./M.B.A., University of Oklahoma Law Center

Certificate in Japanese Language Studies, Keio University

B.A. Economics, Randolph-Macon College, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Japan Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi

Texas

Association of International Energy Negotiators

Japan – Gaikokuhojimubengoshi (Admitted 12/25/2025; Reg. #G1387)

English

Japanese

Matters

MODEC, Inc. (MODEC), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui), Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni), and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) as sponsors on the USD 205 million sale of the FPSO Prof. John Evans Atta Mills operating offshore Ghana to Tullow Oil.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 969 million project financing of the FPSO Anita Garibaldi MV33 offshore Brazil and related 25-year charter contract with Petrobras.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 1.35 billion project financing of the FPSO Almirante Barroso MV32 offshore Brazil and related 21-year charter contract with Petrobras.

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Matters

MODEC, Inc. (MODEC), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui), Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni), and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) as sponsors on the USD 205 million sale of the FPSO Prof. John Evans Atta Mills operating offshore Ghana to Tullow Oil.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 969 million project financing of the FPSO Anita Garibaldi MV33 offshore Brazil and related 25-year charter contract with Petrobras.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 1.35 billion project financing of the FPSO Almirante Barroso MV32 offshore Brazil and related 21-year charter contract with Petrobras.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 1.13 billion project financing of the FPSO Cidade de Caraguatatuba MV27 offshore Brazil and related 20-year charter contact with TotalEnergies.

MODEC, Mitsui, and MOL as sponsors on the project financing of the FPSO MIAMTE MV34 offshore Mexico and related 15-year charter contract with ENI - the first project financing of an FPSO in Mexico.

Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) on a long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Woodside Energy.

Mitsui on the development of the 1 mtpa TA'ZIZ low-carbon ammonia plant with ADNOC in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Abu Dhabi.

Mitsui in connection with its investment in Project Yuri, a solar PV powered renewable hydrogen to ammonia project in Western Australia with ENGIE.

Mitsui in connection with its participation in the 9.6 mmtpa Ruwais LNG Project in Abu Dhabi, the first LNG export facility in the MENA region to run on clean power.

Mitsui in connection with its 20% investment in Xurya Ptd. Ltd., a distributed solar power generation operator in Indonesia.

Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) as sponsor on the development of the Jafurah cogeneration independent steam and power producer (ISPP) project in Saudi Arabia.

POSCO International Corporation, ONGC Videsh Limited, KOGAS, and Gail (India) Limited on the development of the Shwe Gas Project offshore Myanmar.

Summit Oil and Shipping Company on commercial agreements with Petrobangla relating to the development and operation of a floating LNG import terminal in Bangladesh.

BW Maritime on commercial agreements with Italy’s Snam Group relating to the development and operation of a floating LNG import terminal in Italy.

Chevron in connection with its operations in the Chuandongbei sour gas field in Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, China.

A Japanese trading house on the corporate restructuring of its fuels trading business in the US.

A Japanese trading house on the drafting of its template form Master LNG Sale and Purchase Agreement (LNG MSPA).

A Japanese trading house on a a long-term LNG SPA with a Korean utility company.

A Japanese trading house on an LNG MSPA and Confirmation Notice with a Japanese utility company for the sale and purchase of multiple LNG cargoes.

A Japanese trading house on the negotiation and drafting of an LNG MSPA and Confirmation Notice with QatarEnergy.

ENI on its acquisition of Chevron's interests, including operatorship, in the Indonesia Deepwater Development (IDD) gas project from Chevron.

Kuwait Petroleum, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan and PetroVietnam in connection with the development of the USD 9 billion Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical Project in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, including construction, procurement, and product offtake arrangements relating to the project.

Mitsui Oil Exploration Co., Ltd. (MOECO) and PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) on the USD 10 billion Block B gas project in Vietnam encompassing the development of an offshore gas field and pipeline linking the field to a gas-fired power plant complex.

Murphy Oil Corporation (Murphy Oil) in connection with its acquisition of a 40% participating interest and operatorship in offshore Block 15-1/05 in Vietnam from PetroVietnam and SK.

Murphy Oil in connection with the sale of a 30% stake in all of its offshore Malaysia oil and gas assets to PT Pertamina for USD 2 billion.

Murphy Oil in connection with the acquisition of a 20% participating interest in offshore Block 13/03 PSC in Vietnam from Santos.

Murphy Oil in connection with its acquisition of a 40% participating interest and operatorship in Deepwater Block 2A PSC in Malaysia from BHP.

Murphy Oil in connection with its farm-in to a 50% participating interest and operatorship in the Deepwater Block 2C PSC in Malaysia from SapuraKencana, Mitsubishi Corporation and PETRONAS Carigali Sdn. Bhd.

Murphy Oil in connection with its operations and pre-emption rights in the CA-1 and CA-2 Production Sharing Agreements in Brunei.

Murphy Oil in connection with the 50% sale of its participating interest in Block 48 offshore oil & gas exploration block in Suriname to PETRONAS Carigali and the corresponding Joint Operating Agreement entered into between Murphy Oil and PETRONAS Carigali.

Murphy Oil in connection with its divestment of three offshore oil & gas exploration blocks in Indonesia.

Murphy Oil on the negotiation and drafting of two Joint Operating Agreements with Mitsui E&P Australia in connection with two offshore Australia oil and gas exploration permits.

Matters

MODEC, Inc. (MODEC), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui), Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni), and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) as sponsors on the USD 205 million sale of the FPSO Prof. John Evans Atta Mills operating offshore Ghana to Tullow Oil.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 969 million project financing of the FPSO Anita Garibaldi MV33 offshore Brazil and related 25-year charter contract with Petrobras.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 1.35 billion project financing of the FPSO Almirante Barroso MV32 offshore Brazil and related 21-year charter contract with Petrobras.

See more

Close

Matters

MODEC, Inc. (MODEC), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui), Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni), and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) as sponsors on the USD 205 million sale of the FPSO Prof. John Evans Atta Mills operating offshore Ghana to Tullow Oil.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 969 million project financing of the FPSO Anita Garibaldi MV33 offshore Brazil and related 25-year charter contract with Petrobras.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 1.35 billion project financing of the FPSO Almirante Barroso MV32 offshore Brazil and related 21-year charter contract with Petrobras.

MODEC, Mitsui, Marubeni, and MOL as sponsors on the USD 1.13 billion project financing of the FPSO Cidade de Caraguatatuba MV27 offshore Brazil and related 20-year charter contact with TotalEnergies.

MODEC, Mitsui, and MOL as sponsors on the project financing of the FPSO MIAMTE MV34 offshore Mexico and related 15-year charter contract with ENI - the first project financing of an FPSO in Mexico.

Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) on a long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Woodside Energy.

Mitsui on the development of the 1 mtpa TA'ZIZ low-carbon ammonia plant with ADNOC in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Abu Dhabi.

Mitsui in connection with its investment in Project Yuri, a solar PV powered renewable hydrogen to ammonia project in Western Australia with ENGIE.

Mitsui in connection with its participation in the 9.6 mmtpa Ruwais LNG Project in Abu Dhabi, the first LNG export facility in the MENA region to run on clean power.

Mitsui in connection with its 20% investment in Xurya Ptd. Ltd., a distributed solar power generation operator in Indonesia.

Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) as sponsor on the development of the Jafurah cogeneration independent steam and power producer (ISPP) project in Saudi Arabia.

POSCO International Corporation, ONGC Videsh Limited, KOGAS, and Gail (India) Limited on the development of the Shwe Gas Project offshore Myanmar.

Summit Oil and Shipping Company on commercial agreements with Petrobangla relating to the development and operation of a floating LNG import terminal in Bangladesh.

BW Maritime on commercial agreements with Italy’s Snam Group relating to the development and operation of a floating LNG import terminal in Italy.

Chevron in connection with its operations in the Chuandongbei sour gas field in Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, China.

A Japanese trading house on the corporate restructuring of its fuels trading business in the US.

A Japanese trading house on the drafting of its template form Master LNG Sale and Purchase Agreement (LNG MSPA).

A Japanese trading house on a a long-term LNG SPA with a Korean utility company.

A Japanese trading house on an LNG MSPA and Confirmation Notice with a Japanese utility company for the sale and purchase of multiple LNG cargoes.

A Japanese trading house on the negotiation and drafting of an LNG MSPA and Confirmation Notice with QatarEnergy.

ENI on its acquisition of Chevron's interests, including operatorship, in the Indonesia Deepwater Development (IDD) gas project from Chevron.

Kuwait Petroleum, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan and PetroVietnam in connection with the development of the USD 9 billion Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical Project in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, including construction, procurement, and product offtake arrangements relating to the project.

Mitsui Oil Exploration Co., Ltd. (MOECO) and PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) on the USD 10 billion Block B gas project in Vietnam encompassing the development of an offshore gas field and pipeline linking the field to a gas-fired power plant complex.

Murphy Oil Corporation (Murphy Oil) in connection with its acquisition of a 40% participating interest and operatorship in offshore Block 15-1/05 in Vietnam from PetroVietnam and SK.

Murphy Oil in connection with the sale of a 30% stake in all of its offshore Malaysia oil and gas assets to PT Pertamina for USD 2 billion.

Murphy Oil in connection with the acquisition of a 20% participating interest in offshore Block 13/03 PSC in Vietnam from Santos.

Murphy Oil in connection with its acquisition of a 40% participating interest and operatorship in Deepwater Block 2A PSC in Malaysia from BHP.

Murphy Oil in connection with its farm-in to a 50% participating interest and operatorship in the Deepwater Block 2C PSC in Malaysia from SapuraKencana, Mitsubishi Corporation and PETRONAS Carigali Sdn. Bhd.

Murphy Oil in connection with its operations and pre-emption rights in the CA-1 and CA-2 Production Sharing Agreements in Brunei.

Murphy Oil in connection with the 50% sale of its participating interest in Block 48 offshore oil & gas exploration block in Suriname to PETRONAS Carigali and the corresponding Joint Operating Agreement entered into between Murphy Oil and PETRONAS Carigali.

Murphy Oil in connection with its divestment of three offshore oil & gas exploration blocks in Indonesia.

Murphy Oil on the negotiation and drafting of two Joint Operating Agreements with Mitsui E&P Australia in connection with two offshore Australia oil and gas exploration permits.

Credentials

J.D./M.B.A., University of Oklahoma Law Center

Certificate in Japanese Language Studies, Keio University

B.A. Economics, Randolph-Macon College, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Japan Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi

Texas

Association of International Energy Negotiators

Japan – Gaikokuhojimubengoshi (Admitted 12/25/2025; Reg. #G1387)

English

Japanese