The Team

Edward O. Vera Cruz

OF COUNSEL

Edward O. Vera Cruz

 

Edward's practice extends over 25 years and has covered a comprehensive range of international corporate and commercial transactions. In particular, he focuses on Oil and Gas Law, Law of Credit and Security, International Business Transactions Law, Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law.

In the energy sector, Edward has acted for sponsors and a wide variety of other clients in major project finance, general corporate and commercial transactions and regulatory matters.

Edward has held various leadership positions in most of the firms he has worked with. He was the Head of Chambers in the Firm of Lanre Olaoluwa & Co. (now Matrix Solicitors) and later Managing Partner in the Firm of Victor and Charles Solicitors (now part of AELEX Partners), a position he held for over 7 years.

He is a regular participant at local and international seminars and was for a number of years both a visiting lecturer in the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies 'Advance Legal Drafting Course' and the contributing rapporteur for Nigeria for the Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law.

Education

  • University of Lagos (LLB)
  • The Nigerian Law School; 1990
  • Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales

Expertise

  • Oil and Gas
  • Energy
  • International Trade
  • Public Procurement
  • Project Finance

Memberships

  • Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales
  • The Law Society of England & Wales
  • The Procurement Lawyers Association
  • The Association of British Council Fellows
  • The Association of British Chevening Scholars
  • Gideons International

Select Experiences

Representing Texaco Inc., and providing general legal advice on the implementation in Nigeria of an incorporated joint venture between Chevron and Texaco for the marketing internationally of marine fuels and lubricants.

Representing ENRON International; Enron Bénin Gas Holdings Ltd; and Enron West Africa Pipeline Ltd and providing general legal advisory work and consultations on the structuring, contract documentation, and security issues on the acquisition by Enron of the rights to all of the gas and condensate in the Aje Field of OML 113 and future rights in the gas and condensate produced from OML 113 outside the Aje Field.

Rendered advice to TOTAL Exploration Nig. Ltd. on the legal aspects of the proposed acquisition by TOTAL (Transferee) of the interests of Ashland Nigeria Exploration Unlimited in various Oil Producing Licences in Nigeria.

Advising and documentation for TOTAL Upstream Nigeria Ltd on the unincorporated joint venture, with a local and another international party, for the joint prospecting for and exploitation of the oil deposits in a virgin offshore concession (OPL 246).

Preparing Farm-In Agreement involving TOTAL Upstream Nigeria Ltd on the acquisition by TOTAL (Farminee) of 24% undivided interest in the deep offshore field (OPL 246) granted to South Atlantic Petroleum Ltd.

Completed legal, regulatory and due diligence aspects of the acquisition by Petroleum Oil & Gas Company of South Africa (Nig.) Ltd PETROSA (Nigeria) (Transferee) of 50% (non-operating) interest in the existing production fields of Addax Petroleum Nigeria.

In collaboration with other firms providing advice to the Project Sponsors/Commercial Group, including Chevron, Shell, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, SobeGaz, SotoGaz,and the Ghanaian National Petroleum Corporation, which included Project structuring, project financing, and environmental issues advise on the West African sub-regional gas pipeline project.

Acted as Team Member in the Pre-Project Advisory Team to Mobil Power Inc. and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (Project Sponsor) – Preliminary, behind-the-scenes advisory work and consultations on the statutory and regulatory framework existing in Nigeria for the setting up of an independent natural gas-based power.