Victor Galante

He has significant experience in drafting and negotiating contracts for the acquisition and/or construction of assets, including refineries, power plants, pipelines and platforms, in operations in Brazil and abroad, including countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Colombia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Libya, China, India, Iraq, Singapore, Malaysia, Mozambique, United Arab Emirates, Angola, among others.

Before becoming a partner of Mayer Brown, Victor worked as a lawyer for international projects at Vale S.A. and worked for Tauil & Chequer Advogados for several years. In addition to native Portuguese, Victor speaks fluent English.

• Advised the Contractor Group formed by Sonangol P&P, Esso, Chevron, BP, ENI, Total, the National Concessionaire and MSTelcom in connection with the implementation of a subsea offshore optical cable network that will initially connect the platforms operating in the Angolan offshore blocks 0, 3/05, 15/06, 17 and 18. The estimated value is US$18 billion.
• Advised Sinopec in drafting and negotiating the EPC contract and other agreements related to construction of a US$1.5 billion gas pipeline in Brazil and development of its activities in Brazil.
• Advised a major mining company in the negotiation of several commercial agreements relating to the construction of a distribution terminal in Malaysia, in an operation involving US$1.4 billion.
• Advised a major mining company in negotiating different contracts relating to the construction of a US$ 4.34 billion steel mill in Brazil.
• Advised a Brazilian construction company in drafting and negotiating a strategic alliance agreement for construction of the world’s first ethanol pipeline.
• Advised a major mining company in negotiating the leasing agreements for different port facilities in Argentina.
• Advised a state-owned oil and gas company in connection with drafting and negotiating the EPC contract and other relevant agreements relating to construction of different FPSO units and platforms in Brazil.

M&A

• Advised Nestlé Brasil on the purchase of 100% of the capital of the companies of the Puravida group, an independent brand of nutrition, health and well-being products.
• Advised Total S.A. in the acquisition of approximately US$ 2.2 billion in assets from Petrobras’ divestment plan. The transaction involved assignment of participating interest in Iara and Lapa pre-salt fields (Santos Basin) from Petrobras to Total; option of assignment of participation in Perdido Foldbelt (Gulf of Mexico) from Total to Petrobras; sharing of capacity of Petrobras’ regasification terminal; and acquisition of equity participation by Total in Rômulo de Almeida and Celso Furtado power plants (Bahia).
• Advised a Japanese conglomerate in the financing of its supplier of coffee beans in Brazil and negotiation of the related securities.
• Advised a Canadian listed company in the sale of its Brazilian subsidiary (seismic division) to an American private equity fund.
• Advised a leading Japanese trading house in the acquisition of a minority participation in Geekie, Brazil's leading education technology company.
• Advised a leading Japanese general trading firm in the acquisition of shares to consolidate its position as the controlling shareholder of a Swiss company that owns the totality of the shares issued by a leading Brazilian agribusiness company.
• Advised a client in the due diligence for the acquisition of the 4th largest downstream company in Brazil.
• Advised the Sellers in the sale of the totality of the quotas issued by Conpet – Consultoria e Serviços de Petróleo Ltda., a company with expertise in cementing, acidizing, fracturing and multiple pumping operations in oil and gas wells, to Superior Energy Services - Serviços de Petróleo do Brasil Ltda., a company controlled by Superior Energy Services Inc.
• Advised a major energy company in its US$164 million purchase of Sociedade Fluminense de Energia (SFE).
• Advised the sellers in the sale of the totality of the quotas issued by Prest Perfurações Ltda, a drilling and workover services provider, to San Antonio International.
  Oil, Gas, and Petrochemicals
• Advised a potential buyer on the due diligence of different upstream assets being offered by Petrobras.
• Advised China National Offshore Oil Corporation – CNOOC in the qualification for the 1st Pre-salt Bid Round in Brazil and all actions related to the payment of the signature bonus and signing of the 1st Production Sharing Agreement in Brazil – named 2013’ Regulatory Deal of the Year by Latin Lawyer magazine.
• Advised CNOOC on all aspects of the negotiation with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. - on the signing of a co-participation agreement, which would regulate the overlap between the PSC ("Sharing Agreement") and the ToR ("Assignment of Rights") already signed with Petrobras.
• Advised CNOOC on the negotiation of all commercial and operational agreements necessary to guarantee co-participation between PSC and ToR in the Búzios field.
• Advised CNOOC, which through its Brazilian subsidiary has operated in the exploration, production and sale of oil and gas in Brazil since 2013, in the acquisition of Petrobras' 5% stake in the production sharing agreement for the Búzios field in the amount of BRL 10.3 billion.
• Advising Sinochem in connection with all legal issues in Brazil, including exploration and production related transactions, joint ventures and regulatory work.
• Advising one of the members of an operating consortium in the drafting and negotiation of all documents related to the joint operation of the Libra field, the first contract signed under the PSA regime in Brazil.
• Advised Niko Resources in connection with all legal issues in Brazil, including exploration and production related transactions, joint ventures and regulatory work.
• Advised Trayectoria in connection with all legal issues in Brazil, including the negotiation of Farmout Agreements.
• Advising a major Brazilian drilling company in all legal issues in Brazil
• Advised Ecopetrol in connection with due diligence for the acquisition of participating interests in oil & gas contracts in Brazil and Angola.
• Advising a Japanese oil company in connection with all legal issues in Brazil, including exploration and production related transactions, joint ventures and regulatory work.
• Advised CEPSA S.A. in connection with due diligence and negotiation of documents for the acquisition of a participating interest in an oil & gas concession in Brazil.
• Advised Sonangol, in negotiation of contracts for exploration and production of petroleum in the Quaiyarah and Najmah contract areas in Iraq.
• Advised Rowan Companies in the organization of its operations in and negotiations of drilling contracts in Angola,
• Advised SK Energy Co., Ltd. in certain issues related to the US$2.4 billion sale of its Brazilian assets to Mærsk Olie Og Gas A/S.
• Advised an investment company in the acquisition of an oil refinery in Germany.

Power

• Advised the owner of projects and licenses for the construction of a thermoelectric power plan in Brazil in its ongoing discussions with potential investors.
• Advised Seller in the sale of a transmission line connecting Montes Claros Pirapora 2 to 2, 345 kV and 151 km long, with two new substations 500 kV, to State Grid.
• Advised an investor in drafting and negotiation of documents related to the acquisition of a 120MW hydroelectric power plant in Brazil.
• Advised a major mining company in the negotiation of several commercial agreements relating to the project financing for construction of a coal-fired power plant in Maputo, Mozambique, including the coal supply agreement and power purchase agreements.
• Advised a state-owned oil and gas company in due diligence and negotiation for the acquisition of several thermoelectric plants in Brazil.
• Advised the construction division of a Chinese investment company in drafting and negotiating the EPC contract and other agreements related to the construction of a 350 MW thermoelectric power plant in Brazil, in an operation involving US$350 million.

Mining

• Advised a major mining company in the negotiation of several commercial agreements relating to the development of a mining project in Guinea, in an operation involving over US$1 billion.
• Advised a major mining company in the negotiation of several sale and purchase agreements, long-term and spot, for the sale of iron ore, coal, nickel, phosphate rock and other minerals.

• “Victor Galante is particularly seasoned in M&A involving hydrocarbons assets and in project development” The Legal 500 (Hydrocarbons ranking)
• “Victor Galante is another name to note for deals in the oil and gas, energy and natural resources segments.” The Legal 500 (Corporate and M&A ranking)
• "He helped us to solve a problem in a timely matter, and as such was pivotal to our participation in a recent bidding round." Chambers Latin America
• Victor Galante, who earns plaudits for his “sincerity, readiness to assist and expertise.” Latin Lawyer 250
• "a highly intelligent lawyer." Chambers Latin America
• “... hard-working and capable.” Chambers Latin America