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Full-lifecycle legal counsel for the energy sector — from upstream concessions and renewable IPP procurement through to project finance, carbon regulation and energy transition strategy.
The energy sector across Europe and the Middle East is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. The convergence of decarbonisation targets (UAE Net Zero 2050, Saudi Green Initiative), record renewable energy deployment (REPDO auctions, EWEC solar tenders), the emergence of green and blue hydrogen as an export commodity, and the continued strategic importance of oil and gas creates a legal landscape of unprecedented complexity. Energy companies, project developers, sovereign wealth funds and financial institutions need legal advisors who understand not just the regulatory frameworks but the commercial reality of how energy projects are structured, financed, built and operated.
GSDA Legal Consultants advises across the full energy value chain — upstream oil and gas (concession agreements, production sharing contracts, joint operating agreements), midstream (pipeline, LNG and storage infrastructure), downstream (refining, petrochemicals, distribution), conventional power generation (gas-fired CCGT, cogeneration), utility-scale renewables (solar PV, wind, concentrated solar power), green and blue hydrogen, and energy trading. Our clients include international oil companies, national oil companies, independent power producers, EPC contractors, project finance lenders and government entities.
Our energy practice integrates the project finance, construction, regulatory and dispute resolution capabilities that complex energy transactions require. We negotiate concession agreements with sovereign entities, structure project finance for bankable PPAs, draft and negotiate EPC contracts for power plants and renewable installations, advise on regulatory licensing and environmental compliance, and represent energy companies in ICC arbitrations when disputes arise on major projects.
With offices in Paris, Dubai, Riyadh, Doha and across the GCC, we are positioned at the intersection of Europe's energy transition agenda and the Middle East's role as both the world's primary hydrocarbon producer and an emerging renewable energy powerhouse. This dual perspective enables us to advise on the full spectrum of energy transactions — from traditional oil and gas concessions to the frontier legal issues of hydrogen offtake agreements, carbon credit frameworks and virtual power purchase arrangements.
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The challenges you face
Green hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, battery storage, and virtual PPAs all face regulatory uncertainty across the GCC — most jurisdictions lack hydrogen-specific legislation, CCS permitting frameworks, or storage licensing regimes, forcing developers to structure projects under existing (and often inadequate) industrial licensing frameworks.
Lenders require power purchase agreements to meet stringent bankability standards — take-or-pay obligations, deemed generation compensation, change-in-law protection, curtailment compensation and creditworthy offtakers — yet developers face pressure from procurers (EWEC, SPPC, DEWA) to accept increasingly aggressive risk allocation.
Saudi IKTVA (70% target by 2027) and UAE ICV certification impose escalating local content requirements on energy contractors that affect procurement, subcontracting, JV structuring and workforce planning — with non-compliance directly impacting competitive tender scoring and contract eligibility.
IOCs holding long-term concession agreements face renegotiation pressure from host governments seeking enhanced fiscal terms, increased local content, accelerated decommissioning timelines and carbon reporting obligations — creating exposure to material changes in economic returns.
Energy companies exporting to the EU face the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), while GCC-based operations are subject to evolving domestic emissions reporting, methane monitoring and Scope 1-3 disclosure requirements — creating a dual compliance burden that requires coordinated carbon strategy.
Disputes on major energy projects — delay claims on EPC contracts, JOA deadlocks, PPA termination, concession revocation — involve hundreds of millions of dollars, technical expert evidence, and multi-year ICC arbitrations that require specialised energy dispute capability.
We advise on exploration and production agreements, concession contracts, production sharing contracts, joint operating agreements, farmout agreements, unitisation agreements, pipeline and LNG infrastructure, gas processing and downstream distribution arrangements — covering ADNOC partnership structures, Saudi Aramco service contracts and French upstream licensing.
We advise IPP developers, lenders and government procurers on utility-scale renewable energy projects — solar PV, wind, CSP and hybrid — covering REPDO tender participation, EWEC/DEWA procurement, PPA negotiation and bankability, BOOT/BOO structures, grid connection agreements, and regulatory permitting across UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and France.
We advise on the frontier legal issues of the energy transition — green and blue hydrogen production, ammonia conversion, hydrogen offtake agreements, carbon capture and storage permitting, carbon credit frameworks (Abu Dhabi AirCarbon Exchange), virtual PPAs, and corporate renewable energy procurement — helping clients navigate the regulatory uncertainty of emerging technologies.
We act for sponsors and lenders on the project financing of energy assets — structuring security packages, negotiating facility agreements, conducting bankability reviews of PPAs and concession agreements, advising on political risk insurance, and coordinating with ECAs (export credit agencies) and DFIs (development finance institutions) for large-scale energy infrastructure financing.
Working alongside our construction practice, we draft and negotiate EPC contracts, EPCM arrangements, operations and maintenance agreements, long-term service agreements and fuel supply contracts for power plants, solar installations, hydrogen facilities and petrochemical complexes — with particular conditions tailored to GCC climate, regulatory and labour environments.
We advise on energy sector licensing, environmental impact assessments, emissions monitoring, waste management compliance, environmental bonds and decommissioning obligations — under UAE Federal environmental law, Abu Dhabi EAD regulations, Saudi NCEC requirements, French ICPE (classified installations) and EU energy directives.
We structure and negotiate energy commodity trading arrangements — crude oil, LNG, refined products, electricity, carbon credits and renewable energy certificates — including ISDA/EFET master agreements, spot and forward contracts, tolling arrangements and offtake agreements for new energy commodities.
We represent energy companies in ICC, DIAC and LCIA arbitrations involving concession disputes, JOA deadlocks, PPA termination, EPC delay and disruption claims, environmental liability claims and force majeure disputes — deploying technical experts, quantum specialists and delay analysts for complex energy sector claims.
Abu Dhabi's upstream sector operates primarily through ADNOC subsidiary concession agreements, where international oil companies acquire minority interests in specific concession areas for 35-40 year terms with defined work programmes and cost-recovery mechanisms. Saudi Arabia's upstream sector is dominated by Saudi Aramco, which operates under a revised concession agreement and typically engages IOCs through service contracts and joint ventures rather than traditional concession models. ICLG's Oil & Gas 2026 edition notes significant differences in fiscal terms, local content requirements, and dispute resolution mechanisms. GSDA advises IOCs on structuring their participation in both models.
Saudi Arabia's Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO), under the Ministry of Energy, manages the competitive procurement of utility-scale solar and wind projects under the National Renewable Energy Programme. IPPs are selected through competitive auctions and enter into 25-year Power Purchase Agreements with the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC). The legal framework includes the Electricity Law, the Competition and Procurement Law, and REPDO-specific procurement regulations. Recent rounds have achieved record-low tariffs. GSDA advises IPP bidders and lenders on REPDO tender participation, PPA negotiation, and project finance structuring.
Green and blue hydrogen projects in the Gulf face regulatory gaps — most GCC jurisdictions lack hydrogen-specific legislation. Projects are typically structured under existing energy, environmental, and industrial licensing frameworks. Key legal considerations include water rights for electrolysis, CO₂ capture and storage regulation (for blue hydrogen), export infrastructure concessions, and certification schemes for hydrogen origin tracking (EU CertifHy and similar). The UAE Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap and Saudi NEOM green hydrogen project are driving regulatory development. GSDA advises project developers on navigating the evolving regulatory landscape and structuring hydrogen offtake agreements.
In Abu Dhabi, the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) procures solar capacity through competitive IPP tenders under 25-30 year PPAs with take-or-pay obligations. In Dubai, DEWA procures through the Independent Power Producer model under a similar PPA framework. Both use a BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) structure where the developer finances, constructs, and operates the plant, selling electricity at a fixed tariff. Key PPA terms include deemed generation provisions, curtailment compensation, change-in-law protections, and performance guarantees. GSDA advises IPP sponsors and lenders on PPA negotiation, risk allocation, and bankability assessment.
Saudi Arabia's In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) programme requires oil and gas contractors to achieve progressively higher local content percentages — targeting 70% by 2027. The programme covers goods, services, and workforce Saudisation. The UAE's In-Country Value (ICV) programme, administered by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, requires ICV certification for companies bidding on ADNOC and government energy contracts. Both programmes affect procurement, subcontracting, and joint venture structuring. Non-compliance impacts scoring in competitive tenders. GSDA advises energy companies on local content compliance strategies and structuring joint ventures with local partners to meet IKTVA and ICV requirements.
UAE Federal Law No. 24 of 1999 on Environmental Protection and Development, along with emirate-level regulations (such as Abu Dhabi's Environment Agency regulations and Dubai's environmental compliance framework), impose obligations on oil and gas operators regarding emissions, waste management, spill prevention, and environmental impact assessments. Penalties include fines, licence suspension, and criminal liability for environmental damage. Offshore operations in Abu Dhabi are also subject to ADNOC's HSE framework and international standards including IOGP guidelines. GSDA advises energy companies on environmental compliance, permitting, and defending against regulatory enforcement actions.
The UAE's Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative and the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Global Market's carbon credit trading framework (AirCarbon Exchange) are reshaping energy sector contracts. New concession agreements and PPAs increasingly include carbon reporting obligations, emissions reduction targets, and carbon offset mechanisms. The UAE hosted COP28 in 2023, accelerating domestic climate regulation. Energy companies must now factor carbon pricing, methane emissions monitoring, and Scope 1-3 reporting into their contractual arrangements. GSDA advises on incorporating climate and carbon terms into energy contracts and advising on compliance with emerging UAE climate regulations.
International arbitration is the dominant dispute resolution mechanism for Gulf energy disputes, with ICC (Paris/Dubai), LCIA (London), and DIAC (Dubai) being the most common institutional choices. Most concession agreements, PPAs, and JOAs contain arbitration clauses specifying seats in Paris, London, or the DIFC. The technical complexity and value of energy disputes make arbitration preferable to local courts, which may lack specialist energy law expertise. Emergency arbitration is increasingly used for urgent interim relief in production disputes. GSDA represents energy companies in ICC and DIAC arbitrations involving concession disputes, JOA deadlocks, PPA termination, and construction claims on energy infrastructure projects.
GSDA negotiated the PPA and project finance documentation for our 1.5 GW solar project in the Gulf — bringing the commercial, regulatory and bankability perspectives together from day one. They understood the energy sector dynamics that generic law firms simply don't.
Head of Legal — International Renewable Energy Developer, European Headquarters
The GSDA advantage
Full energy value chain coverage — we advise across upstream, midstream, downstream, renewables, hydrogen and power generation, meaning clients get integrated legal support for the entire energy portfolio, not fragmented advice from different specialist firms.
Project finance bankability expertise — our energy lawyers work alongside our banking practice to structure financeable energy transactions, ensuring PPAs, concession agreements and security packages meet lender requirements from inception.
MENA energy sector depth — with offices in Paris, Dubai, Riyadh, Doha and across the GCC, we have on-the-ground relationships with ADNOC, Saudi Aramco, EWEC, REPDO, DEWA and regional energy regulators that provide practical insight beyond theoretical legal advice.
Energy transition and decarbonisation capability — we advise on the emerging legal frameworks for hydrogen, CCS, carbon credits, CBAM and corporate renewable procurement, positioning clients at the frontier of the energy transition rather than catching up after regulation crystallises.
Integrated disputes capability — when energy projects go wrong, our dispute resolution team handles the arbitration using the same sector expertise that structured the transaction, eliminating the knowledge transfer lag that occurs when disputes are referred to a separate litigation firm.
