Tom Wigley

Tom is a partner at Trowers & Hamlins, having joined the firm in 2004.  Tom is the Resident Managing Partner of the Oman Office.

Tom specialises in the energy sector and heads up the firm's Energy and Natural Resources team.  He specifically works on power generation and transmission, water and infrastructure development projects along with oil and gas work. 

Tom is based in Oman but has worked in the firm's offices throughout the Middle East.  

Relevant experience

Power and water

• Tom is advising DEWA in Dubai in relation to a 300 - 900MW solar PV project.  This is the next phase of Dubai hugely successful solar PV programme.  We are advising with E&Y on thsi project.
• Tom is advising EWA, along with Mott MacDonald and KPMG in relation to a solar IPP in Bahrain.  This will be the first such project in Bahrain and will hopefully form the foundation for further renewable energy development in Bahrain
• Tom advised NEPCO in Jordan in relation to the 470MW oil shale fired power station which is being developed by an Eesti Energia and YTL. This project, which closed in 2017, is the largest project financing in Jordan with a cost of around $2bn.
• Tom is advising Oracle Coalfields in relation to a mine mouth power station in Pakistan which it is developing.  The project includes negotiation of the PPA, EPC contract, mining services agreements and other ancillary agreements. 
• Tom advises various power companies in Oman in relation to their ongoing operations, including contractual interpretation and issues which arise with the offtaker and regulator.  These companies include Bark I, Dhofar Generating Company, Ad Dhahirah Generating Company, Dhofar Desalination Plant and Shinas Generating Company. 
• Tom advised OPWP in Oman in relation to strategic advice around the commissioning of a temporary IWP project.
• Tom is advising EWA in relation to the new 1.5 GW Al Dur II IWPP to be developed in Bahrain; we are the Government's lead counsel and are advising alongside KPMG and WSP.
• Tom is advising FEWA in relation to a new 1.8 GW clean coal power station to be developed in Ras al Khaimah.  We are advising in conjunction with Deloitte and ILF on this project.  This new clean coal development is intended to diversify the UAE's energy sources and will be the second such project in the UAE.
• Tom advised the developer of a green field IWPP in Ain Sokhna as lead international counsel.  The Suez Canal Authority was to be the offtaker and the project is of particular interest as the offtake agreements will be split between a PPA and a WPA.
• Tom is advising the preferred bidder in relation to the Kepong waste to energy project in Malaysia, a 1000 tpd facility to be constructed in Kuala Lumpur.  We have advised on all aspects of the transaction, including the concession, EPC, O&M, technology supply and power offtake.
• Tom advised the Palestinian Authority in relation to an IPP which it is developing in the North of the West Bank.  Drafting project agreements to create a bankable transaction and also to deal with regional political issues has been a complex task.
• Tom advised a prospective investor in one of the UK's proposed new build nuclear projects.  The work included a detailed due diligence of all major project agreements, including the decommissioning and power offtake arrangements.
• Tom was part of the team which advised the Wadi Al Jizzi Power Company in Oman in relation to its proposed O&M arrangements as this plant comes to the end of its design life.
• Tom advised the purchaser on the abortive purchase of Uskmouth power station in south Wales, SSE was the vendor and the project was very far advanced before the purchase fell through.
• Tom advised the Palestinian Authority on the reorganisation of the electricity sector in Palestine.  The work has included drafting constitutional documents for the various companies to be set up and drafting and commenting on the various necessary laws and regulations.
• Tom was part of the team advising one of the bidders for the purchase of Ireland's Bord Gais, this work involved a very large due diligence exercise encompassing wind and biomass generation, gas fired CCGT plants and the accompanying sale and distribution arrangements.
• Tom advised the owners of Barka I on the expansion of this plant, specifically in relation to the O&M arrangements.
• Tom was part of the team which advised a bidding group for the Riyadh PP11 IPP and the Quarrayeh IPP.  Tom had particular responsibility for the O&M arrangements for the both projects.  The bidding groups we acted for were not successful in their bids for these projects. Additionally, Tom was part of the team which advised on the Shuqaiq IWPP and the abortive Yanbu IWPP in Saudi Arabia
• Tom has also assisted in advising the Jordanian government on to the first stages of its plans to develop wind power in Jordan. We advised the Government on all aspects of the first transaction at Al Khamshah and its second project at Fujeij.
• Tom was part of the Trowers & Hamlins team that advised the TNB/Malakoff/ACWA Power/MADA consortium on the Shuaibah IWPP, the first government IWPP to be implemented in Saudi Arabia.  Tom was closely involved in the negotiation and drafting of the O&M and EPC agreements for this project.  
• Tom was also part of the team which acted on the Fujairah IWPP and the Hidd IWPP in Bahrain and also advised one of the bidding consortiums on the Almanakher IPP in Jordan.
• Tom was also part of the team which advised Parsons on its bid to construct the Disi water pipeline in Jordan.

Hydrocarbons and Petrochemicals

• Tom advised the Ministry of Oil and Gas in Oman in relation to EPSAs in relation to Blocks 47 and 65 involving, respectively, a joint venture between ENI and OOCEP and Oxy and OOCEP
• Tom also advised the Ministry of Oil and Gas in Oman in relation to an EPSA in relation to Block 30 involving a joint venture between Oxy and OOCEP.
• Tom advised Shell in Oman in relation to local issues around their proposed tight gas development.
• Tom advised Shell Marketing in Oman in relation to their petroleum products supply agreements.
• Tom advised GASCO in relation to a FSRU lease for a new LNG import project in Abu Dhabi.
• Tom advised Arab Potash Company on its gas purchase agreement with Noble Energy.  This was a significant transaction, being the first cross border gas sale agreement between Jordan and Israel.
• Tom led the legal team which advised the Jordanian government on its LNG import project.  This project involved the selection of an FSRU and LNG supplier and the negotiation of the Time Charter Party, the LNG Supply Agreement and a Gas Transportation Agreement, along with other ancillary agreements.  An international RFP process was successfully run for the FSRU and we subsequently advised on five separate LNG procurement processes, including two term supply RFPs.  The project became operational in July 2015 and has been hugely successful, giving Jordan access to world gas suppliers and increasing its energy independence.
• Tom advised the Palestinian Authority on the supply of gas to a power station to be located on the West Bank.
• Tom advised an Omani client in relation to its proposed farm-in in an onshore block in Oman, the work involved drafting a form of Farmout Agreement and Joint Operating Agreement, both based on the AIPN standard.
• Tom advised the Department for International Development on the appointment of a fuel management contractor to the island of St Helena.  This project is related to the development of a new airport on the island.  The remoteness of the island and the vital importance of fuel supplies made this a particularly challenging project.
• Tom was also part of the team which advised the Jordanian government on the farm-in arrangements related to BP's investment in the Risha gas concession.  
• Tom was a member of the team advising the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jordan in connection with an oil shale concession agreement which was signed with Shell.  The concession agreement is a very long term deal to exploit Jordan's largely untapped oil shale reserves.  Tom was involved in all aspects of this deal including advising on negotiation strategy and drafting and negotiating the concession agreement. The concession was approved by the Jordanian parliament in 2009 and the project is now being developed in Jordan. 
• Tom advised Dragon Oil in Oman in relation to a proposed investment into an Omani hydrocarbons block. Our work involved assisting with the negotiation of the Joint Operating Agreement.
• Tom is also part of the team advising the Jordanian government on several oil shale surface retorting transactions.  Various international companies are currently operating in Jordan and Trowers & Hamlins has been advising the Government on all aspects of these transactions, including advice on initial strategy and advice on contractual structures and concession agreements.  Concessions have been agreed and signed with Shell, Eesti Energia, SACOS and Karak Oil.
• Tom continues to advise the Natural Resources Authority in Jordan in relation to the exploitation of oil shale in Jordan, including in relation to surface retorting projects.  We have now been advising MEMR and its predecessor organisations on oil shale matters for over ten years.  Our advice includes developing standard form MoUs and evaluating companies following completion of the required work programmes.  Our work with the NRA, and now MEMR following the dissolution of the NRA, also includes providing advice on phosphate, copper and gold projects.
• Tom advised the Jordanian government on the privatisation of the Downstream Sector.  Following the liberalisation of prices the Government sought further investment in the downstream sector including the creation of four new oil marketing companies. The firm's main role was advising on the drafting of the licences for the oil marketing companies and the complex suite of documents which control the purchase and storage of petroleum products in a regulated sector.  This advice has included advising the Government in respect of the proposed redevelopment of the Zarqa refinery in Jordan.
• Tom was part of the team which advised the Al Jaber group in relation to the Gulf Pearl GTL plant in Qatar.  Al Jaber is part of a consortium which is constructing a part of this vast project.  Our advice included analysis and negotiation of the EPC contract which was signed with Shell and consideration of consortium issues along with the drafting of a consortium agreement.  This was a particularly complex project due to the numerous interactions with the other groups constructing parts of the GTL plant.
• Team member on the Energy Master Plan developed for the Jordanian Ministry of Energy.
• Tom also advised GPIC in Bahrain in relation to a substantial expansion of the GPIC plant, Tom assisted with developing contract structures and contract drafting.
• Tom assisted Jubail Chemical Industries Company (JANA) on the Hassad petrochemicals plant, a joint venture project, which is to be implemented in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
• Tom was part of the team which is advising the Jordanian government on the Jordan Gas Transmission Pipeline which delivers gas from Egypt to Jordan and the Levant.

Mining

• Tom advised the EMRC, Jordan's new minerals regulatory body, on the structure for its new minerals royalty programme.  This included a review of the existing regime and assisting other consultants in developing a new strategy.
• Tom advised the Natural Resources Authority in Jordan in relation to proposed changes to the phosphate mining industry, including developing new MoUs and mining agreements along with analysis of fiscal terms. 
• Tom advised the Natural Resources Authority in Jordan in relation to proposed Copper and Gold exploitation.  We assisted the government in its negotiations with an international developer who wanted to exploit a resource in the north of Jordan. This project is ongoing.

Other infrastructure and telecommunications projects

• Tom was part of the team which advised the developers the abortive Jazan Aluminium Smelter project, a 1.6 MTPA alumina refinery which was to be located on the western coast of Saudi Arabia.
• Tom was part of the team which advised Nawras in its setting up of a second mobile phone network in the Sultanate of Oman, this involved advising on and the drafting of a full suite of contract documents related to the setting up of a new, countrywide network, from the network and licence agreements to commercial contracts with local service providers. Tom was also involved in advising Qtel on its bid for the third GSM licence in Egypt.
• Tom was involved in the team which advised Al Sawadi Investment & Tourism Co LLC in relation to the development of The Blue City. The development was at the Al Sawadi seafront area near Barka in Oman and comprised a 35 square kilometre block of land, including a small island just off the coast.