People
Scott Neilson
Biography
Scott is Energy Sector Lead and advises on complex and innovative energy, infrastructure, and finance transactions across the globe.
He has over 25 years of experience and covers LNG liquefaction, shipping, and regasification as well as all aspects of power generation, including renewables. Scott is also sought out by clients to help with energy transition and decarbonisation initiatives, including energy value chains mixing molecules and electrons, offering strategic and pragmatic solutions. He has worked on some of the world's largest and most challenging projects, such as the $20 billion Ichthys LNG, the $5 billion Coral South FLNG, and the $1 billion Warsan Waste-to-Energy project financings, each of which were market firsts and/or the largest of their kind at the time of financial close, involving multiple sources of financing and diverse stakeholders. Regarded as a true expert in his field, Scott has authored the chapter on export credit agencies in the book, Liquefied Natural Gas: The Law and Business of LNG, Third Edition. He also wrote ""The role of States and ECAs"" in the 4th edition of the same book.
Practice areas
- Finance
- Project development and finance
- Emerging markets finance
Sectors
- Energy
- Infrastructure and transport
- Green shipping
- Mining and metals
Selected experience
- Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific (IF-CAP): For Asia Development Bank which will generate USD 11 billion for climate projects.
- Ichthys LNG Project: USD20bn project financing acting for the project companies, and on the subsequent USD8.9bn refinancing. This remains the world’s largest project financing. Global Deal of the Year, Project Finance 2012; Asian-MENA Counsel Deal of the Year 2013; Asia Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA) Awards 2014 - Syndicated Project Finance Deal of the Year.
- Warsan Waste to Energy Project: JBIC, NEXI and other lenders in relation to the project financing of a USD$926 million loan for the development of a waste to energy (WtE) facility in Warsan, Dubai. This was the first WtE plant in Dubai, and one of the world’s largest. Deal of the Year 2021 – PFI Awards 2021.
- Jawa 1 Gas to Power Project: JBIC, NEXI and ADB and the commercial lenders on the USD1.8bn 2x800MW Jawa 1 FSRU and gas-fired IPP project in Indonesia, the first LNG-to-Power project in Asia. Asia Pacific Power – Gas Deal of the Year – Jawa 1, IJ Global Awards 2019. Project Finance Deal of the Year, IFLR Asia-Pacific 2019.
- Coral South FLNG: USD5bn project financing acting for the lenders. This was the first ever project financing of an FLNG project and was the largest project financing in African history at the time. Midstream Oil & Gas Deal of the Year, IJ Global 2018. ECA-backed Energy Deal of the Year, TXF 2018.
- Tangguh LNG Train 3 expansion project – USD3.745bn trustee borrower scheme financing acting for the lenders.
- Donggi Senoro LNG – All aspects of the project acting for the project company. This included a USD2.8bn project financing and was the first time the trustee borrower scheme was dispensed with and the first all Asian sponsored LNG project.
- Jawa 1 gas to power in Indonesia – USD1.8bn project financing acting for the lenders. This was the first integrated gas to power project in Asia and is a 1,760MW gas fired power plant and an FSRU.
- Manzanillo onshore LNG regasification plant in Mexico – USD875mn project financing acting for the project company.
- Hanseatic Energy Hub – Acting for the finance parties on the potential financing for the construction and operation of zero-emission LNG terminal in Stade, Germany.
Education
- BCom, Accounting, The University of New South Wales, 2000
- LLB (Hons), The University of New South Wales, 2000
- Graduate Diploma, Legal Practice, The College of Law, Sydney, 2001
Admissions
- Registered Foreign Lawyer, Japan, 2014
- Australia, New South Wales, England & Wales, 2010
- Solicitor, England and Wales, 2006
- Solicitor, New South Wales, Australia, 2001
Languages
- English