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Petroleum and Petrochemical Matters

For more than four years prior to its merger with Saudi Aramco, we acted as outside counsel to the Saudi Arabian Marketing and Refining Company (SAMAREC) the governmental organization controlling the production and sale of refined petroleum products from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this capacity we have developed significant experience with the operations, management and planning of a major international oil company.

This unique experience translates into practical working knowledge relating to a broad spectrum of legal matters concerning the petroleum industry, including the following:

Refining

We worked extensively with SAMAREC's corporate engineering department in connection with the negotiation and drafting of tender documents for the engineering and construction of refinery related plant and equipment, for example a state-of-the-art-refinery process automation system, a firefighting and fire control system, a refinery upgrade and de-bottle necking program, a marine terminal expansion program and a Kingdom wide, multi-refinery program for the upgrade and installation of various refinery process units including a hydro cracking unit, an FCC unit, a platformer and a sulfuric acid regeneration unit.

Marketing and Sales

We fully supported the company's marketing and sales department, assisting with the development of world-wide pricing structures for the refined products sold by the company, assisting with the development of standard form international purchase and sales agreements for all such products, including FOB Term and Spot Product Sales agreements, CIF Term and Spot Product Sales agreements, Spot Sulfur Sales agreements, Refinery Off-take agreements and assisting with the development of spot sale tender procedures and documents. We also participated in the development and negotiation of long-term crude oil and feedstock supply agreements and assisted in the negotiation and resolution of disputes arising with SAMAREC's customers.

Marine Transportation

We provided the exclusive legal support for SAMAREC's Marine Department in charge of a fleet of more than 25 ships. In these regards we provided review and approval of all ship charters, including time and voyage charters and floating vessel storage agreements, we assisted in the development and negotiation of all marine related contracts such as agency agreements, inspection contracts, on-hire/off-hire surveys, ship construction contracts, ship management agreements and drydock and repair contracts, and we provided routine advice in connection with all marine related matters such as demurrage claims, off-hire disputes, safe berth disputes, charter party issues, crew issues, insurance and related matters.

Contracting

Working in conjunction with SAMAREC's General Counsel we provided general support for the contracting affairs of the company including reviewing, negotiating and/or drafting significant contractual documentation, including joint venture agreements, service agreements, employment agreements, capital asset purchase agreements, information services and computer agreements, equipment leasing agreements, project management agreements and construction agreements.

Strategic Corporate Planning

In our capacity as legal advisors to the Central Management Committee we offered advice in connection with the legal aspects of the company's long-range strategic planning and major business policy decisions. In this regard we assisted with the identification and analysis of business objectives, global market trends, possible areas of company expansion and/or integration, capital acquisitions, products sales policies relating to FOB or CIF delivery terms and other significant corporate issues.

Having provided counsel to SAMAREC, itself one of the largest oil companies in the world, we are in an excellent position to assist clients in the petroleum industry, whether contracting for the purchase of petroleum products or the supply of goods or services, or acting as traders, refiners or shippers of oil products.