Shawn Davis’ practice focuses on energy and corporate law, with a particular concentration on large oil, gas, petrochemicals, power and water, industrial and infrastructure projects.

Practice & Background

Before joining Akin Gump, Mr. Davis worked for four years in the Abu Dhabi office of a major U.S. law firm, where he advised on a broad range of energy, infrastructure and industrial projects, and corporate matters. He also worked at a major Canadian law firm, where he represented banks in connection with energy company financings and advised on energy regulatory matters.

Mr. Davis completed an LL.B./M.B.A. degree in 2004 at the University of Calgary, where he received the Frederick and Marguerite Hulme Scholarship for joint LL.B./M.B.A. studies and where he was elected to the Beta Gamma Sigma international honors society upon completion of his M.B.A. studies. In 2009, he completed a corporate governance program at Harvard Business School (Executive Education).

He is admitted to the Supreme Court of England and Wales (solicitor) and the Law Society of Alberta (solicitor and barrister).

Representative Matters

Mr. Davis’ recent engagements include representing:

Oil and Gas, Petrochemical

  • Abu Dhabi National Drilling Company (ADNOC) in its procurement of onshore and offshore oil drilling rigs
  • ADNOC in the extension of its GASCO joint venture with Shell, Total and Partex
  • a developer in its gas processing plant and cross-border pipeline network project in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates
  • a developer (Takreer) in its crude oil and condensate refining and granulated sulphur projects
  • a developer (Borouge) in the expansion of an ethylene and polyethylene plant at Ruwais, Abu Dhabi
  • a global chemicals company in the design and construction of a world-scale integrated petrochemicals complex to be located in Saudi Arabia
  • a developer (Chemaweyaat) in its chemicals industrial city project at Abu Dhabi
  • a developer (Egyptian Refining Company) of an oil refinery at Mostorod, Egypt
  • a developer (Mashreq Petroleum) of an oil products storage and bunkering terminal facility at Port Said, Egypt
  • a developer (a JV between Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and National Petroleum Company) of an offshore oil platform, offshore and onshore pipelines, and onshore processing facility
  • a developer of a natural gas pipeline from Taweelah to Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
  • International Petroleum Investment Company in its acquisition of a 20 percent stake in Cosmo Energy
  • lenders in the financing of the National Petrochemicals Company polymer production project at Yanbu, Saudi Arabia
  • Dyna-Drill, a designer and manufacturer of down-hole motor equipment for the oil and gas industry, in various JV matters
  • a developer in the design and construction of a world-scale petrochemical facility at Jubail, Saudi Arabia
  • a construction manager in the development of an oil pipeline in southern Iraq

Power and Water

  • a major utility in the UAE on corporate commercial, government procurement, policy and regulatory matters, such as EPC, interconnection, cooperation and strategic alliance, power transmission and service agreements, asset transfer transactions, smart-grid and renewables initiatives, and corporate governance
  • Elliniki Technodomiki TEB in its bid for a BOOT project for the design, construction, finance, and operation and maintenance of two wastewater complexes in Abu Dhabi
  • a developer in the development of a large solar PV power plant
  • a developer in the conversion of two power plants from single to combined cycle

Projects – Other Industries

  • a developer (Ruwais Fertilizer Industries (FERTIL)) of a US$1.2 billion Ammonia (2,000 MTPD) and Urea Plant (3,500 MTPD) Project in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • FERTIL in the expansion (doubling the capacity) of its existing Urea Plant at Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • Rio Tinto Aluminium in the development of the Abu Dhabi Aluminium Company (ADALCO) smelter project

Infrastructure

  • Abu Dhabi Airports Company in the development of the Abu Dhabi International Airport
  • a developer in one of the largest residential housing projects in the world
  • an international school in connection with its expansion project.

Awards & Accolades

Mr. Davis is frequently cited by leading industry journals such as Pipeline magazine and MEED.

Speaking Engagements

  • Moderated a panel titled Evolution and Future Potential of the IPP and IWPP Market in the Middle East Region at the Middle East Economic Digest (MEED) 15th Annual Middle East Project Finance Conference in January 2012
  • Presented on the topic of Mega Petrochemicals Projects in Saudi Arabia at the MEED Middle East Petrochemicals Conference in March 2012
  • Presented on the topic of Contracting Strategies for the Middle East Petrochemicals Industry at the MEED Middle East Petrochemicals Conference in March 2013

Languages

Japanese