People

Jason Bennett
Jason Bennett
Partner | Department Chair - Global Projects (Firmwide)

Overview

Jason Bennett is a partner and the firmwide Department Chair for Baker Botts’ Global Projects Practice, as well as a co-head of its firmwide Energy Sector leadership. His practice is focused on the development and financing of gas/LNG, clean hydrogen/ammonia, CCUS, water and other liquids projects, joint ventures, and transactions. Jason assists clients with front-end development and structuring for projects and their ownership, the acquisition and sale of interests in assets and projects, and the financing of those projects. Jason has extensive current experience with LNG projects, including assisting clients with the structuring, development, construction and launch of greenfield liquefaction projects and related upstream developments, regasification facility projects, LNG shipping matters and the development of LNG trading platforms and investments. Jason is also actively working with clients to develop projects and to structure investments in the growing clean hydrogen/ammonia and CCUS sectors.

Admission & Affiliations

  • State Bar of Texas
  • New York State Bar
  • Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN)
  • J.D., Georgetown University Law Center 1999
    with honors
  • B.A., Economics, The University of Texas 1993
    with honors
    Study at Moscow State Linguistics University, 1993
    Study at Kyiv State University on a U.S. government fellowship, 1995 to 1996

Experience

LNG Projects and Transactions

Assisted clients with over 30 LNG projects, including advising regarding more than 50 LNG SPAs and LNG 10 tolling agreements for liquefaction and regasification facilities including those as described below:

  • Sempra LNG – project development counsel to Sempra LNG in respect of the Port Arthur LNG Liquefaction project and project counsel to Sempra LNG marketing in respect of LNG Sales and gas supplies for its North American LNG Liquefaction projects currently under construction and development
  • Cheniere Energy Inc. – development of first LNG liquefaction and export facility from the lower 48 states of the U.S.
  • Jordan Cove Energy Project – development of an LNG liquefaction project and negotiation of a liquefaction tolling agreement and related agreements
  • Peru LNG – development and launch of an LNG liquefaction project in Peru and sale of the resulting LNG
  • International Oil and Gas Company – advice regarding entry into the U.S. LNG market as an off-taker and investor
  • Western Canada – advising the project sponsor of a proposed Greenfield LNG liquefaction project in British Columbia, Canada
  • Novatek – structuring and development of all aspects of the Yamal LNG project, including shareholder arrangements, LNG marketing, and LNG shipping
  • BP – long-term sale of LNG from Tangguh, Indonesia, to Sempra LNG; development of the Tangguh project, including assistance with time charter party agreements and other shipping arrangements for Tangguh

Energy Transitions - Carbon Credits, Hydrogen and Carbon Capture

  • An international auto manufacturer regarding its development of hydrogen fueling stations and hydrogen supply arrangements
  • Lead developer of a carbon capture project for the permanent sequestration of CO2 from an existing LNG project
  • Lead develop of a large-scale, integrated clean ammonia export project with blue hydrogen production, ammonia transport and permanent sequestration of CO2
  • An LNG company in its development of a GHG Reporting and Mitigation Agreement
  • An LNG company in its Master Carbon Credits Trading Agreement
  • An LNG company its carbon credits retirement agreement related to cargoes of LNG
  • An LNG company in its long-term carbon credit arrangements for low-carbon LNG offtake
  • Marea Energy Partners in the negotiation and drafting of a hydrogen supply contract for its very low sulfur fuel oil production facility
  • A portfolio company of an investment fund in respect of the commercialization of fuel cell technology and a joint venture for the production of hydrogen
  • A developer in respect of a combined EOR, power and carbon capture and sequestration project, including investment structures for those projects

Joint Ventures

  • CCUS Project – joint venture for the establishment of a project for permanent sequestration
  • E&P Company – advice regarding joint venture and related arrangements in the Gulf of Mexico
  • E&P Company – advice regarding bidding and joint venture and related arrangements for two separate offshore project in Africa
  • E&P Company – advice regarding multiple related joint ventures for offshore platform and processing facilities and an onshore LNG liquefaction project
  • Midstream Company – advice regarding a joint venture for the acquisition of midstream gathering pipeline systems
  • E&P Company – advice regarding joint development arrangements for a project in Mexico
  • E&P Company – advice regarding joint venture arrangements for production of gas and liquids and export of LNG
  • Midstream Company – advice regarding joint venture arrangements for a LNG project in the U.S.

Oil and Gas Transactions

  • E&P Company – assist with the purchase of Permian basin assets
  • Private equity fund – assist with the negotiation of a Joint Development Agreement/DrillCo funding structure
  • E&P Company – assist with the refinancing of upstream assets in the Permian basin
  • E&P Investor – advice regarding Participation Agreements for multiple drilling fund investments, including multi-program structures
  • E&P Company – assist E&P company in the sale of assets in three U.S. onshore basins
  • E&P Company – advice regarding the potential acquisition of an offshore interest in blocks in the Gulf of Mexico
  • E&P Company – assist with the sale of Permian basin assets
  • E&P Companies – advice regarding production sharing and bidding terms for the initial shallow-water bid round in Mexico
  • Hunt Oil Company – advising in respect of upstream oil and gas contracting, processing and transportation in Peru
  • E&P Company – advice regarding long-term gas sales in the U.S.
  • E&P Company – advice regarding the restructuring of upstream production interests for a NOC

Project Finance Transactions

  • LNG Liquefaction Project – advice regarding project restructuring and resulting project finance amendment issues
  • Advice to several greenfield LNG liquefaction projects regarding lender requirements for project structures and agreements
  • Advice to several greenfield LNG regasification projects regarding lender requirements for project structures and agreements
  • Subsidiary of a global independent power producer – $500 million private placement of long-term project debt with institutional investors and $25 million debt service reserve letter of credit facility for the nonrecourse refinancing of a power project


Awards and Community

Recognized as a "BTI Client Service All-Star," 2024

Recognized as a "Leading Lawyer" by The Legal 500 U.S., 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024

Listed in The Legal 500 EMEA as a "Leading Individual" for Energy & Natural Resources, 2014, 2015, 2016

Listed in Chambers USA for Projects: LNG, (Band 2) 2017, 2018, (Band 1) 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024

Listed in Chambers Europe: Energy & Natural Resources in Russia, 2012-2014

Listed as a "Foreign Expert" in Chambers Global for Energy & Natural Resources, 2012-2018

Recognized as a "Global Elite Thought Leader" by Who's Who Legal - Energy, 2019

Listed in Who's Who Legal: Energy, Law Business Research Ltd, 2018 & 2024

Listed in Who's Who Legal, Energy and Project Finance, Law Business Research Ltd, 2014

Listed in Who's Who Legal: Oil and Gas, Law Business Research Ltd, 2010 & 2013 

Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer-Rising Star (Thomson Reuters), 2010

Recognized by Chambers USA as "Up & Coming," 2010