Mr. Ahsan Zahir Rizvi, senior partner of the Firm, has been involved in the drafting of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority Ordinance 2002 and the regulatory framework pertaining to the oil and gas sector. The Firm has been representing Sui Southern Gas Company Limited and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and represents various multi- national entities undertaking oil and gas exploration, development and production in Pakistan and is thus well aware of the various issues relating to the exploration, development, production, transmission and distribution of natural gas in Pakistan.

The Firm also provides regular review and advice with respect to applicable legislation regulating the petroleum sector and has been particularly involved in the procurement of various petroleum licenses and gas allocations.

RIAALAW has recently been appointed as the external Legal Advisors for Government Holdings (Private) Limited (“GHPL”). GHPL is registered as a private limited company under the Companies Ordinance 1984 in Pakistan. GHPL is 100% owned by the Government of Pakistan and operates under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources.

GHPL holds working interest in a total of 72 Joint Ventures which includes 35 Development and Production Leases, 21 Exploration Licenses and 17 Offshore Licenses are under Production Sharing Agreements.

• Drafted the regulatory framework for the Oil & Gas industry for the Government of Pakistan leading to the formation of the Natural Gas Regulatory Authority and its revision leading to the creation of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority.
  
  
• Counsel for the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited and the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited. The Firm conducted detailed meetings with officers of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Law and consequently drafted the regulatory framework for the privatisation of natural gas transmission and distribution sector in Pakistan including the Natural Gas Regulatory Authority Ordinance 1997.
  
  
• Counsel for Sui Southern Gas Company Limited in all major transactions and contracts relating to the development of its transmission and distribution network, sale of its Liquefied Petroleum Gas Division and the Meter Manufacturing Division.
  
  
• Counsel for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in various corporate and regulatory matters and in the sale of its Liquefied Petroleum Gas business.
  
  
• Counsel for Premier Oil plc, Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company, and various other oil & gas exploration and development companies in all their matters relating to Concession Documents, Gas Sale Agreements and regulatory matters.
  
  
• Acted as the local legal counsel of BP, Occidental Petroleum, Premier Oil, KUFPEC, Orient Gulf Investments Limited, Tarim Resources, China National Oil Company, Orient Petroleum, Paige Petroleum and various other oil and gas companies in connection with the exploration, development and producing oil and gas concessions, Gas Sale Agreements and various other regulatory matters.  In this connection, have had several meetings with the Directorate General Petroleum Concessions, Federal Board of Revenue, Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority and the State Bank of Pakistan.  Drafted and negotiated several upstream gas contracts.
  
  
• Acting for the Government of Pakistan (InterState Gas Systems Limited) in the development and negotiation of various agreements relating to the US$ 7 billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Gas Pipeline Project.

• Acting for the Government of Pakistan (InterState Gas Systems Limited) in the development and negotiation of various agreements relating to the US$ 4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India Gas Pipeline Project.

• Project Counsel of Indus Refinery Limited, one of the largest private sector Greenfield refinery project being set up in Pakistan.  The Firm has been advising  Indus Refinery on issues relating to land acquisition, financing, share-holder issues, acquisition of plant, engineering services, right of way for the pipeline and  regulatory approvals.

• Project counsel for the Dansk Camp Supply and Nordic Camp Supply ApS of Denmark in connection with the acquisition, testing, transportation and export of petroleum products to NATO forces in Afghanistan and to US military forces in the region.
  
  
• Acting for British Petroleum in the setting up of their downstream production facilities, and lubricant production and distribution business in Pakistan.  Negotiated agreements with Pakistan State Oil and various other counter-parties in connection with enhancement of their downstream business presence in Pakistan.

• BP Pakistan Exploration & Production Inc.
  
• China National Oil Company
  
• Dansk Camp Supply ApS
  
• Fuchs Oil Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited
  
• Government of Pakistan
  
• Indus Refinery Limited
  
• Interstate Gas Systems Limited
  
• Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company
  
• Nordic Camp Supply ApS
  
• Occidental Petroleum Corporation
  
• Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority
  
• Orient Gulf Investments Limited
  
• Paige Limited
  
• Premier Oil Plc
  
• Tarim Resources

The Firm has given advice to Antofagasta Plc, the third largest copper producer in the world and Barrick Gold Corporation, the largest producer of gold in the world, in respect of their mineral exploration and development activities in Balochistan.

The Firm has also represented and advised Tethyan Copper Company Limited in respect of its mining activities in Balochistan which is considered to be the largest single investment in the mining sector of Pakistan estimated to be a US$ 3.3 billion project with an expected mine-life of 56 years.