Pan-African legal and business advisory group CLG (https://CLGGlobal.com/) has appointed Yves Ollivier as the firm’s Managing Director for its office in the Republic of Congo. CLG recently opened an office in Pointe Noire – dubbed the country’s oil and gas capital – to enhance support for hydrocarbon projects and solidify its presence in Africa. In his capacity as Managing Director, Ollivier will oversee all operations in the country, providing specialized legal counsel and strategic support to clients in the oil and gas sector.

Ollivier holds an LLM in Business Law from Caen University and a Certificate of Aptitude for the Legal Profession from the Paris Bar School. He has extensive experience with a number of French law firms as well as French energy major TotalEnergies. His experience extends into the Republic of Congo and Cameroon, where he has worked in various legal organizations, providing commercial, legal and consulting support for a number of clients and companies. Beyond legal advisory, Ollivier was a co-organizer for Business Talk Congo from March 2018 to January 2020, where he organized conferences and debates on agribusiness, the digital sector, local content in the oil sector and the development of the mining sector in the Republic of Congo.

As one of Africa’s largest oil producers and an emerging natural gas producer, the Republic of Congo offers significant opportunities for investors. The country aims to double hydrocarbon production to 500,000 barrels per day while expanding its natural gas industry. This year, the Congo LNG project delivered its first cargo, attracting new market players and increasing demand for legal services.

Multinational companies like Perenco, Eni and TotalEnergies in collaboration with the country’s national oil company Société nationale des pétroles du Congo are advancing exploration and development, driven by recent geological surveys. TotalEnergies recently announced a $600 million investment to strengthen exploration and production activities in the Republic of Congo, with the capital expected to support the development of the country’s deep offshore Moho Nord field. Oil and gas company Trident Energy acquired stakes in the Moho-Bilondo, Nkossa, Nsoko II and Lianzi fields.

In addition to E&P companies, global and regional service companies are offered a wealth of opportunities across the Congolese oil and gas market. Multinational oilfield services company Saipem, for example, secured a contract for works related to the Congo LNG project. As the country’s oil and gas market grows, these opportunities are set to multiply. As such, the government is inviting foreign investment to meet production targets, creating new transactions supported by firms like CLG. With its extensive industry expertise and presence in several African markets, CLG is well-positioned to become the preferred legal and business advisory group for the Republic of Congo’s oil and gas sector.

“Our new Pointe Noire office in the Republic of Congo leverages our leading energy sector brand - built for many years by leading international, regional and local lawyers - to support our global client base in African energy markets,” says Zion Adeoye, CEO of CLG. “Having Yves onboard gives CLG the ability to provide full-service support to our international clients in Congo-Brazzaville.”

Led by Ollivier, CLG’s activities in the Republic of Congo will include offering comprehensive legal and strategic advisory services to clients in various industries, with a particular emphasis on the oil and gas sector. CLG Congo’s office will provide energy transactional services that include project development and M&A support for the natural gas, LNG, power, renewables and fuels sectors, including full support for decarbonization.

Since the firm’s inception, CLG has worked with a spectrum of national and international companies on matters pertinent to international energy transactions, joint ventures between regional and international companies, environmental matters, exploration and development agreements, tax advisory, OHADA, labor litigation, transportation and storage agreements, downstream distribution, project finance and general corporate matters. The Congo-Brazzaville office will benefit a large network of legal, tax and other professional services provided by CLG.

CLG – formerly Centurion Law Group – has rebranded in reflection of a renewed commitment to supporting the growth and success of Africa’s oil and gas industry. Visit CLG’s new website at https://CLGGlobal.com/ for more information about the firm’s services.