Matthew Daffurn

Matthew Daffurn is Co-Chair of Locke Lord's International Transactions Practice Group. He advises on project financings, project development and corporate work in the energy and infrastructure sectors. He acts for corporations, lenders, sponsors, governments, multilateral agencies and political risk insurers on the development, financing, acquisition and disposals of projects in Africa and other emerging markets. His experience extends to energy transition, renewables, upstream exploration and production, midstream and downstream oil and gas projects, extractive industries, defence, petrochemicals, nuclear energy and electricity infrastructure.

Legal 500 UK recognises Matthew as “…a name to note for project finance work in emerging markets.”

Matthew’s significant matters include advising:

Energy Transition and Renewables

• The developers of a demonstration floating wind farm, offshore Spain
• The sponsors on the development and financing of a green hydrogen project, offshore UAE
• The developers of waste steam/heat power generation business on a number of corporate PPAs, UK
• AIIM and IFC on the disposal of their interest in the Kipeto windfarm, Kenya
• The sponsors in respect of the financing and subsequent refinancing of the Dudgeon offshore windfarm, UK
• The lenders in respect of the development and financing of the Kaliakra windfarm, Bulgaria
• The sponsors in respect of the development and financing of the Kavarna windfarm, Bulgaria
• The bidders for a portfolio of Irish windfarms
• The Japanese lenders (principally ECAs) to the Isiolo solar power plant, Kenya
• Société Générale as L/C Bank in connection with the issuance of an IBRD-Guaranteed L/C in favour of Nachtigal Hydropower Project Company, Cameroon
• Proparco in respect of a strategic review of its solar and wind portfolio
• The lenders and hedging banks to the Bujagali hydroelectric power project, Uganda (African Refinancing Deal of the Year, IJ Global Awards 2018)

Infrastructure

• Post Road as lender to Shared Access in respect of the development of its UK communications infrastructure
• Transmission Capital Partners on the Robin Rigg, Barrow, Ormonde, Gunfleet Sands, Lincs and Westermost Rough OFTOs, UK
• A UK hyperscaler on the development of a private wire arrangement, UK
• Borealis in respect of its acquisition of Fortum’s electricity distribution networks in Sweden
• The lenders to the acquisition financing and subsequent refinancing of the Elenia distribution business, Finland

Oil and Gas: Upstream

• KNOC in respect of its Abu Dhabi concession arrangements and capacity building support agreement and concession arrangements in Iraq
• The commercial lenders in respect of the acquisition financing of OMLs 24 and 29 by Aiteo, Nigeria and its subsequent restructuring
• Tri Ocean in respect of the negotiation of its concession arrangements with the governments of the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan following the secession of South Sudan
• Total S.A. in relation to structuring options for the development of an oil and gas field in Iraq
• Cataleya Energy Limited in a sell-down of 5% interest in Kaieteur Block, Guyana to Hess Corporation
• TBNG Limited in the acquisition of onshore producing gas assets and associated infrastructure in Turkey from Valeura Energy
• Tethys Oil in relation to a farmout with EOG Resources covering Block 49 onshore Oman

Oil and Gas: Midstream

• Seven Energy in respect of an IDA-backed partial risk guarantee, Nigeria
• Seven Energy in respect of its Accugas II, III and IV acquisition/project financings
• A commercial shareholder in relation to the proposed Nabucco pipeline
• The project sponsors in respect of a proposed FLNG project, Offshore Israel

Oil and Gas: Downstream

• Bahrain Petroleum Company in respect of the ECA, commercial and Islamic financing of the expansion of an existing oil refinery, Bahrain (Middle East Petrochemical Deal of the Year, PFI Awards 2019)
• The lenders and subsequent refinancing lenders (comprising ECAs and commercial finance institutions) to the Jubail petrochemical refinery, Saudi Arabia
• Glencore in respect of restructuring proposals for the Jurong Petrochemical Refinery, Singapore
• RWE in relation to the proposed disposal of its capacity in the GATE LNG terminal, Rotterdam
• Essar in respect of various financing arrangements, including a long-term inventory monetisation and commercial facility, UK
• Lonrho in respect of the proposed development of an oil and gas logistics port in Atuabo, Ghana

Conventional Power

• Fennovoima in respect of the development and proposed financing of the Hahnikivi NPP, Finland
• AfDB on the proposed provision of a partial risk guarantee to the Lamu IPP, Kenya
• Globeleq in respect of the expansion financing of the Azito IPP, Ivory Coast (Power Deal of the Year, IJ Global Awards 2013)
• The lenders to the Rijnmond IPP, Netherlands
• The lenders to the T-Power IPP, Belgium