Michael Yates
Biography
Overview
Michael is a Partner in the Project Development and Finance Group in the Firm's Houston office. His practice focuses on the representation of owners and developers in their construction projects, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, power plants, battery energy storage facilities, carbon capture facilities, petrochemical facilities, and pipelines. Michael has experience with drafting engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), construction, construction management, engineering, operating & maintenance, long-term service agreements, and procurement agreements for large energy projects throughout the world.
Experience
LNG:
Woodfibre LNG, in a first-chair capacity, in connection with the preparation and negotiation of an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Agreement, a Fabrication Agreement, and a Project Coordination Agreement for the development of an LNG facility with a 2.1 million tons per annum production capacity in Canada.
LNG Canada with respect to the engineering, procurement and construction of Phase 2 of LNG Canada's LNG production terminal located in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada.
Texas LNG with respect to the engineering, procurement, and construction of an LNG terminal on the U.S. gulf coast. This representation is ongoing and includes advising Texas LNG with respect to contract structuring, contractor selection, advising on early state engineering and licensing agreements, financing advise, and preparation of engineering and construction contracts.
Magnolia LNG with respect to the engineering, procurement, and construction of a world-scale LNG terminal on the U.S. gulf coast. This representation is ongoing and includes advising Magnolia LNG with respect to contract structuring, contractor selection, advising on early state engineering and licensing agreements, financing advise, and preparation of engineering and construction contracts includes preparation and negotiation of early state engineering and licensing agreements.
Construction:
A large US based energy company in a brownfield technology conversion for the company's existing petrochemicals facilities. The representation is ongoing and includes drafting and negotiating a master services agreement and master construction agreement.
Microsoft in its preparation of a standardized global framework agreement for its use in constructing data centers worldwide.
GreenStruxure, a joint venture of Schneider Electric and Huck Capital, on developing a strategic partnership with ClearGen, a Blackstone portfolio company, whereby ClearGen will provide US$500 million in long-term capital to to GreenStruxture to develop, operate, and maintain on-site renewable energy microgrid systems. Customers of these microgrids will benefit from "energy as a service" solution that provides energy and sustainability solutions with no upfront capital contribution and no operational risks.
Energy Transition:
Major electricity producer with respect to the engineering, procurement, and construction of carbon capture and sequestration facilities at an existing generation site in Texas.
Calpine in the preparation and negotiation of several project contracts, including the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Agreement, the Equipment and Services Supply Agreement, and multiple Long-Term Services Agreements for a 680 MW battery storage facility in California that represents one of the largest stand-alone battery storage projects in the world.
A large US power generation company in its development of an approximately 105 MW photovoltaic solar energy project to be located in Kern County, California. The representation included drafting and negotiating an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) agreement and a Long-Term Services Agreement with the EPC contractor (Hanwha) with a value of approximately US$144 million.
Middle Eastern multinational chemical company in the greenfield development of a US$2.2 billion methanol plant located on the Gulf Coast, including negotiation of joint venture arrangements, methanol offtake agreements, and related project contracts.
