Legal Counsel

COUNTRY

**UK**

LOCATION

**Uxbridge - (Prospect House)**

EMPLOYMENT TYPE

**Employee**

REQUISITION NUMBER

**UK01574**

CLOSING DATE

**May-31-2024**

**Company Overview**:
CNOOC International, the international division of CNOOC Limited, is a global energy company with businesses in Asia, Africa, Americas, Middle East and Europe. The company is committed to building a safe, healthy and sustainable energy development model. At present, we’re moving steadily towards the goal of becoming a world-class energy company with a global vision, global strategy and global compliance operation. Our successful growth as an upstream oil and gas producer has been achieved by consistently finding and developing world-class assets.

Our business is focused on safely exploring and producing from conventional offshore, unconventional and oil sands assets. As part of the CNOOC Group of companies, which span the entire energy supply chain, our size and capability create a competitive advantage that ensures we deliver long-term value. Our growth strategy is to safely and sustainably develop our high-quality portfolio to deliver energy for all.

**Why CNOOC International?**:
At CNOOC International, we take pride in our corporate culture. From East to West, we foster an ethical, responsible and safety-first mindset to build trust among our stakeholders.

Bold ideas, diverse perspectives and the determination to fuel our success are what set us apart. Working for us means no matter what you do, you can make an immediate impact.

CNOOC International is one of the largest and most reputable oil producers in the UK North Sea and holds material interests in world-class discoveries across South America and Africa. Our business strategy is to maximize the value of our existing portfolio while creating new opportunities for further global growth.

**The Role**:
We are seeking a **Legal Counsel** to join our **International** **Legal Team** based in Uxbridge.

As part of the CNOOC International legal group, this role provides legal support and advice to some of the most important and significant energy projects around the world, including host government negotiations, joint venture agreements, acquisition & divestment agreements, material commercial contracts, compliance issues and potential disputes. The role is primarily focused on conventional oil and gas, although there may be some scope to support on the Company’s net zero activities.

The individual will support several business groups across the organisation and will be fully integrated within the CNOOC International Legal, Compliance and Corporate Governance team.

The **Legal Counsel** will report to the **Managing Counsel - International** and provide support to key stakeholders across the business, including:

- Supporting CNOOC International’s growth strategy by advising on confidentiality agreements, data purchase agreements, AMIs, joint bidding arrangements, host government contracts and joint operating agreements.
- Demonstrating efficient project and transaction management, with a high level of cultural intelligence, of multiple stakeholders and clients located across London, Beijing, Houston, Guyana and Africa.
- Conducting legal and compliance due diligence on potential opportunities to identify CNOOC International’s material rights and obligations and ensuring that effective compliance plans are in place for all new country entries.
- Advising on regulatory and compliance issues in relation to production sharing contracts, local law compliance and global anti-bribery and corruption standards with a particular focus on common law jurisdictions in Africa and South America.
- Reviewing and negotiating key upstream agreements such as construction and tie in agreements, transportation and processing agreements and lifting agreements.
- Reviewing and negotiating material commercial contracts by providing legal and commercial support to the global supply chain function, in relation to procurement for production and development operations.

Where necessary, instructing and ensuring effective use of external advisers and law firms.

**Who are we looking for?**:

- You will have prior demonstrable legal experience of advising complex cross-border transactions or projects, ideally within the energy industry.
- A qualified solicitor, in England and Wales/Scotland, you will have several years post qualification experience that demonstrate your ability to work with a degree of independence and your ability to handle a busy and diverse workload.
- Demonstrated ability to balance legal risks with business risks and communicate effectively to clients.
- Confidence and capability to ensure efficient project management and, where appropriate, provide commercial guidance on deal structuring and key value items.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Good interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work in cross functional teams and adapt to multiple cultur