Robert J. Gruendel

• A major energy trading organization in connection with:
• Assisting with its LNG receiving terminals in Mexico and the United States
• Structured pre-paid natural gas purchase/sale transactions involving Petroleum Development Corporation and Northwest Natural Gas Company
• A cooperation with Bominflot to source, transport and store marine fuels, and to create a vessel bunkering business in the Port of New York and in Gibraltar
• A series of proposed crude oil inventory financing deals with various industry players such as refineries and processing facilities

• The Government of Oman in connection with:
• The development of its third LNG train, including leading negotiations on its LNG SPA with European buyers
• Long-term SPAs for deliveries emanating from its third LNG train, resulting in a 20-year Ex-Ship contract with a major European utility
• Assisting the Oman Special Economic Zone at Al Duqm in establishing the Port of Duqm, which included advising on various pieces of municipal infrastructure and developing the key project agreements

• Petroleos Brasiliero in connection with:
• The procurement and deployment of a FPSO unit in the US Gulf of Mexico, which became the first of its kind to operate in the Gulf and operates in the deepest water in which an FPSO had ever been installed (2,600m)
• Negotiations for procurement of drilling services for an exploration campaign in the Black Sea resulting in execution of a Drilling Services Agreement with MPF
• Preparation of a model Day Work Drilling Contract for use in negotiations with various drilling contractors in jurisdictions around the world
• Negotiations with the state-owned energy company of Angola over the terms and conditions governing drilling and production in certain blocks awarded to Petrobras and its consortium partners offshore Angola

• EDF Trading in connection with:
• The sale of its US crude oil marketing and logistics business
• A proposed cross-border floating LNG project that involves exporting US-sourced natural gas to Mexico for liquefaction by floating facilities to be located at Topolobampo for onward transport to regions of Mexico not currently served by natural gas pipeline. A secondary use of the LNG will be for export to Asian markets

• A major European utility on export of gas from the United States for liquefaction in Canada and then re-export to buyers in continental Europe

• A large energy trading company in connection with:
• Structuring a physical presence in Panama and Uruguay for purposes of creating commercial energy operations including commodity trading, storage, blending and related activities
• A complex financing/supply transaction with PetroEcuador, a public enterprise owned by the Ecuadorian Government, involving a five-year $1 billion loan financing secured by a sovereign guaranty from the Republic of Ecuador and a five-year exclusive sales contract
• Representation of its JV entity in Jamaica in the US$160 M negotiation of a potential Joint Development Agreement with NFE South Holdings Limited whereby the parties will collaborate to (a) develop, construct and operate a natural gas-fired steam and electric power generating facility, (b) develop, construct and operate a natural gas pipeline and (c) upgrade the boilers and calciners at a power plant owned and operated by the JV

• Barclays in establishing its presence in Costa Rica, Honduras, and Guatemala for purposes of creating an energy focused trade finance business

• Sohar Free Zone LLC in establishing a special economic zone adjacent to the Port of Sohar and which serves as a one-stop shop facility. Responsibilities include advising on the joint facility, development of common infrastructure and leasing program for tenants

• Sohar Industrial Port Company, operator of Port Sohar in Oman, acting as its regular outside counsel. Among other responsibilities, retained to handle the project financing of certain marine facilities that SIPC, as landlord, is constructing within the Port

• Sohar Port Special Projects LLC, a special-purpose project company, on behalf of the Sohar Industrial Port Company SAOC and its new commercial investment company, Sohar International Development Company LLC, a joint venture between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the Port of Rotterdam, in connection with its expansion to provide major marine infrastructure to support commercial projects at the Port of Sohar, Oman. The company signed project financing for approximately US$200 million with a group of banks based in the region for financing the dredging and construction of a 1,380-meter long and 25-meter-deep jetty

• Led team advising Unipec Americas, Inc. (the energy trading and logistics arm of the Chinese SOE, Sinopec) on its long-term storage, terminal and trading operations in connection with the Limetree Bay Terminal, USVI. Provided advice and analysis regarding its Storage Lease, CFIUS, Customs, Environmental, Anti-Corruption and Antitrust and Market Regulations

• Acting for Freepoint Commodities in the modification of a Receivables Purchase Agreement between Puerto Rico Power Solutions, as purchaser, and Freepoint, as seller and servicer, relating to the purchase and sale of receivables generated from the sales of diesel fuel to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority in light of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act of 2016

• Represented CarVal Investors LLC, as equity investor in the special purpose acquisition company and as a participant in the lending syndicate, in connection with the acquisition of electricity distribution system companies in Argentina. The loan amount was USD$133 million

• Representing Ecopetrol Costa Afuera Colombia SAS (Ecopetrol), a subsidiary of the state-owned oil & gas company of Colombia, in connection with the preparation of an Offshore Rig Drilling Services Contract and related documents that will comprise a comprehensive tender to be used in soliciting bids from contractors for drilling services off the coast of Colombia

The Legal 500 United States

• Recommended, Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (2016-2021)
• Recommended, Project Finance – Advice to Sponsor (2021)
• Recommended, Project Finance – Energy and Power (2023)
• Recommended, Energy Litigation (2015)
• Recommended, Energy: Renewable/Alternative (2012, 2024)

The Legal 500 Latin America

• Recommended, Latin America: International Firms Projects and Energy (2013-2019, 2021)
• Recommended, Latin America: International Firms Corporate M&A (2016-2017)

Additional Awards

• Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®, its highest available ranking
• Named among the top Energy lawyers in New York by Super Lawyers
• Named in The Best Lawyers in America® in the Shipping category 
• Bob has been cited in Euromoney's Expert Guides: Shipping & Maritime Lawyers; Expert Guides: Project Finance Lawyers; and Expert Guides: Energy and Environment
• Latin Lawyer 250 recognized Bob in the areas of energy and project finance (2016-2017)

• Co-authored "International LNG Sales into North America," LNG Journal, May/June 2004
• Co-authored "The Maritime Contract and Admiralty Jurisdiction: Recent Developments Help Clarify an Inherently Confused Landscape," Tulane Law Review, Spring 2003
• "Domestic Law and International Conventions, The Imperfect Overlay: The FAA as a Case Study," Tulane Law Review, June 2001
• "Proper Planning Essential to Port Development Funding," The Maritime Advocate, July 1999
• Editor, Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce, 1990-1998

• Financing the Energy Transition, November 30, 2023
• Moderator, "The LatAm Energy Boom," Latin Lawyer M&A Conference, March 2018 
• Chairman, DLA Piper Global Energy Summit
• Moderator, "North American Energy Security – Updates from Canada, Mexico and the US," Institute of the Americas XXIII La Jolla Energy Conference, May 2014
• Co-chair and Speaker, "Business, Canada, US Politics and the Future of Energy," Canadian Corporate Counsel Association National Conference, April 2014
• Speaker and Panel Moderator, "How Do We Finance Energy Projects for the Future?," Aspen Ideas Festival, June 27, 2013
• Speaker, DLA Piper European Energy Forum – Developing Europe’s Energy Infrastructure, April 2012
• Chair, 7th Annual Latin America Ship and Offshore Finance Forum, Rio de Janeiro, September 2010
• Moderator, "Considerations for Energy Financing in Peru," Peruvian Energy and Infrastructure Finance Conference, Organized by Project Finance Magazine, September 2010
• Chair, Marine Money 6th Annual Latin America Ship & Offshore Finance Forum, November 2009
• Co-chair and Speaker, LNG Shipping Asia 2007, "Implementing Effective Strategies to Address Commercial Issues and Challenges in LNG Shipping," June 2007
• "LNG Shipping Contracts – Risk Management," Global LNG Shipping Symposium, September 2006
• "Contract Risk Management in LNG Shipping Projects," 2nd International Middle East LNG Shipping Forum, May 2006
• Co-Chair and speaker, Advanced Conference on LNG Contract Management: Mitigating Risk and Balancing Contractual Obligations Across the LNG Value Chain, November - December 2005
• Conference Workshop on Port Development, Lloyd's List Third International Port Investors Forum, April 2005
• Chairman, LNG Supply Chain Strategies Conference, March 2005
• Comparative Aspects of US and Mexican Maritime Law, March 2005
• Speaker, LNG Roundtable at the Tulane Business Forum, November 2004
• Speaker, IQPC Conference on LNG USA, September 2004
• Chairman, "Shipping at Risk: Current Issues in Port and Maritime Security," New York City Bar Association, 2002
• Chairman, Institute for International Research's Conference on Port Development and Financing, April 1999
• Speaker, "Legal Aspects of Port Development and Privatization" 3rd Annual Baltic Transit Gateway Conference, June 1998
• Speaker, Panama Maritime Exposition, the International Congress of Maritime Arbitrators, and the International Bunker Industry Symposium

• AIPN (Association of International Petroleum Negotiators)
• American Bar Association, Committee on International Law
• Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Committee on Admiralty (Chairman, 2000 – 2003)
• Maritime Law Association of the United States: Past Member, Board of Directors (2003 – 2006); Committee on Maritime Legislation
• New York Maritime, Inc., Board of Directors (Chairman, 2003 – 2006)
• Licensed as a foreign consultant in Brazil by OAB-SP, the bar association of São Paulo, Brazil in Latin America