Utilities

Innovative solutions that have been routinely implemented by the private sector are now being trialled as innovative solutions by governments. SREIL’s Sean Rush is an infrastructure specialist. His Master’s thesis Access to Infrastructure on the UK Continental Shelf received the highest mark ever awarded and examined the full range of regulatory models applicable to utilities and infrastructure funding and use models.

Sean has advised clients in a broad range of utilities, including railway franchising, water treatment, gas transmission and other utilities using capital lease structures, PPPs, the optimised deprival valuation methodology (ODV) road and tunnel tolling models as well as traditional EPC turnkey construction contracts.

SREIL is able to provide commercial insights and legal advice in regard to construction, financing, operation, maintenance and the refinancing or sale of major projects and assets.

Experience

Adviser to British Secretary of State

Use of offshore infrastructure SREIL’s Sean Rush was retained by the British Secretary of State to advise in respect to the use by third party applicants of offshore oil and gas infrastructure. The Government’s guidelines required a specific approach to the calculation of tariffs for use rights based on returned capital and operating costs.

Todd Energy

Use of downstream infrastructure As Todd Energy’s Commercial Manager SREIL’s Sean Rush regularly used the optimised deprival valuation methodology in calculating the appropriate starting point to negotiate use rights for the use of third party infrastructure, including pipelines and processing facilities.

Fort Hills Utilities Infrastructure EPC

SREIL’s Sean Rush led a team in the negotiation and award of two engineering, procurement and construction (EPCs) valued in aggregate at ~$750 million for the construction of utilities infrastructure for the Fort Hills oil sands project in Alberta Canada. The award was made to a joint venture between CH2M Hill and Lockerbie & Hole Construction. Jo Danko, CH2M Hill’s lead commercial negotiator commented: “Sean’s contribution in getting these agreements to signature over the last few weeks has been significant – we wouldn’t have done it without him”

Sturgeon Water Management Plant

SREIL’s Sean Rush negotiated the commercial terms for the use of the Sturgeon County (Alberta Canada) and the Alberta Capital Region Wastewater Commission waste-water treatment plant. The agreement allowed treated waste water to be used as industrial process water at the Fort Hills oil sands project after which it would be returned to the treatment plant and recycled.