John P. Cogan Jr. is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP based in the Firm's Houston office. John is a member of the Firm’s Energy Practice Group, as well as the Corporate Department and is the head of the Firm’s Global Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group.
John concentrates on the international exploration, extraction, processing, transportation and sale of hydrocarbons, with a particular emphasis on projects in Latin America, East Asia, the Middle East and Africa. His work includes developing project structures, as well as drafting and negotiating joint venture, acquisition, joint operating, management, processing, transportation (pipeline and marine), development and investment agreements; and production sharing, drilling, construction, and other service contracts; project finance documentation; and technology licenses. He also has been involved with governmental regulation, construction and financing of facilities related to those activities.
John is a member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators and a frequent lecturer on international energy matters. He previously served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Houston, teaching the course on international financial transactions. He is a director and member of the executive committee of the Asia Society, Texas Center as well as a director of the Institute of International Education, Southern Region. He has been named as one of the world’s leading energy and natural resource lawyers in Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers (2005, 2006 and 2007) and in the International Financial Law Review 1000, and as one of the top five international lawyers in Texas by Texas Lawyer. He also has been recognized by Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America and Lawdragon as a leading energy and/or corporate attorney.
John is a member of the American and Houston Bar Associations and the State Bar of Texas and a fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation. He also is a member of the American Society of International Law, serving as a corresponding editor of its publication, International Legal Materials.
Representative Experience
- Algeria: U.S. parties in their dealings with a government oil entity in connection with LNG sale and purchase agreements, transportation agreements and dispute resolution
- Angola: the consortium developing an LNG project in Angola
- Argentina: a U.S. electric utility in the privatization of Buenos Aires-area electric power distribution companies
- The Bahamas: investors in the development of an LNG receiving terminal
- Belize: U.S. parties in the farm-in of rights in a production sharing area
- Brazil: a U.S. manufacturer in the documentation and structuring of oil field equipment manufacturing, sales and service operations
- Brazil: a Dutch shipbuilder in the negotiation and documentation of an offshore drilling rig construction contract with Petrobras (the Brazilian government oil entity)
- Brazil: a U.S. chemical company in its petrochemical plant operations and relationships with joint venturers
- Brazil: a U.S. electric utility in connection with its investment in a São Paulo-area electric power distribution company
- Burma: a Korean-American consortium in its production sharing contract/LNG project negotiations with the government oil company
- Canada: a Texas bank in connection with the financing of a pipeline compressor station
- Canada: a U.S. producer in negotiations with Canadian sulphur producers for a jointly operated sulphur terminal in Belgium
- Canada: an independent oil and gas company in the development of an LNG receiving terminal in Nova Scotia
- Canada: a major Canadian exploration and production company in its acquisition of oil and gas properties internationally
- Chad/Cameroon: A major U.S. oil company in the documentation and structuring of a crude oil pipeline project, including work on the convention of an establishment and investment agreement with the host countries
- China: U.S. interests in the acquisition of interest in a fossil fuel power project in Southern China
- China: a foreign investor in the drafting of documentation for an oil field equipment manufacturing joint venture with a governmental entity
- China: U.S. interests in connection with the proposed acquisition of a hydroelectric power plant in Southwestern China
- China: a major U.S. oil company in working with Chinese authorities to develop an LNG regasification facility
- Colombia: U.S. interests in the farm-in of rights for oil and gas blocks in the Putumayo region
- Colombia: U.S. interests in the acquisition of an interest in a major gas pipeline
- Côte d’Ivoire: a U.S. company in the disposition of oil and gas properties
- Denmark: a major Danish industrial group in connection with their offshore oil drilling activities
- Dominican Republic: U.S. and British interests in the privatization of the power industry
- Ethiopia: a Canadian company in planning a farm-in arrangement with a U.S. company for the acquisition of Ethiopian oil and gas rights
- India: a U.S. independent oil and gas company in the drafting of agreements to participate in the acquisition of Bombay-area offshore oil and gas properties
- India: U.S. interests in the documentation relating to the acquisition of oil and gas properties in Assam State
- Indonesia: production-sharing contractors in the Bontang LNG Project in Indonesia and, when interests were properly aligned, the government oil entity
- Indonesia: a major oil company in connection with the development of the Tangguh LNG Project
- Malaysia: U.S. interests in connection with the research and contract analysis for an offshore production sharing contract
- Mexico: U.S., Mexican and Canadian interests in negotiations with CFE (the Federal Electricity Commission) and structuring regarding a power project in Rosarito, BCN (together with a natural gas pipeline to provide a fuel supply)
- Mexico: an Argentine/Mexican consortium in negotiations with CFE and lenders for the financing of the Petacalco Coal Handling Project
- Mexico: a consortium of Mexican, Spanish and U.S. interests in negotiations with Pemex (the government oil entity) and lenders for financing the Coatzacoalcos MTBE plant
- Mexico: Norwegian interests in the privatization of the Vera Cruz shipyards for oil drilling rig construction and repair
- Mexico: investors in the development of an LNG receiving terminal
- Mongolia. U.S. interests in the divestiture of interests in oil and gas properties, including dealings with oil ministry and assignees
- Morocco: U.S. interests in oil and gas conventions with the Moroccan government
- Namibia: a multi-national company in planning and developing contracts for a proposed LNG project
- Nigeria: U.S. parties in negotiations with Nigeria LNG Limited (a joint venture of the Nigerian government, Shell and others) for the purchase of LNG from the Nigerian LNG Project
- Nigeria: purchasers in negotiations for the purchase of LNG from the Brass LNG Project (a joint venture of the Nigerian government, ENI and others)
- Nigeria: a multi-national oil company in the acquisition of offshore oil and gas properties
- Norway: a major Norwegian industrial enterprise in its international oil and gas and oil field services activities
- Pakistan: a major U.S. oil company in the divestiture of a petrochemical plant to local management on behalf of its petrochemical affiliate
- Panama: a U.S., German and Japanese consortium in negotiations for a copper concession
- Qatar: a major U.S. oil company in connection with a planned gas-to-liquids plant
- Qatar: a leading producer of LNG in LNG marine transportation matters
- Russia: U.S. interests in negotiations for an oil field equipment manufacturing joint venture with a Russian governmental entity
- South Africa: lenders in the Rand/Dollar construction financing of an offshore drilling rig built in a South African shipyard
- South Africa: U.S. investors in a joint venture with South African and Israeli interests for the construction and operation of rice mills in South Africa
- Tanzania: a U.S. pipeline company in planning the development of an oil products pipeline running from Dar es Salaam to the Ugandan border
- Trinidad & Tobago: a U.S. drilling contractor in connection with offshore oil drilling contracts
- Trinidad & Tobago: a major shareholder in the Trinidad LNG Project in negotiations with the government and other shareholders in the project
- United States: a U.S. company in developing a fleet of LNG tankers and investors in the development of an LNG receiving terminal
- Venezuela: U.S. interests in the documentation and structuring of oil field equipment repair operations
- Venezuela: Japanese interests in reviewing and advising on oil field reactivation programs with PDVSA (the Venezuelan oil entity) and its affiliates
- Venezuela: a U.S. chemical company in its petrochemical plant operations and relationships with joint venturers
- Venezuela: a major U.S. natural gas company in its successful bid and contract negotiations with PDVSA and with the EPC contractor for a major gas pressurization project
- Yemen: production-sharing interests in the Marib LNG Project in the negotiation of the gas development agreement, shareholders agreement and LNG sales.
Education
- University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1968
- University of Texas, B.A. (cum laude), 1965
