AIPN Seminar at NAPE 2018

Andrew Melsheimer is a Partner in Thompson & Knight’s International Energy Practice Group where he focuses his practice on oil and gas-related transactions, strategic commercial and business advice on cross-border transactions and investment projects, and dispute resolution matters. His experience includes acquisitions, divestments, trades, and mergers; exploration, development, and production matters; and anti-corruption (FCPA) and economic trade sanctions. Andrew’s dispute-related matters have been before federal and state courts in Louisiana, Texas, and New York as well as domestic and international arbitration panels.

Andrew also has in-house experience through his secondment to an international energy company, where his responsibilities included handling issues related to host-government contracts, joint operating agreements, and unitization agreements.

He received a J.D. and Bachelor of Civil Law from Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center; a Master of International Business Studies from the University of South Carolina; and a B.S. in International Trade and Finance from Louisiana State University.

In addition to serving as a Board Member for the AIPN and a member of AIPN’s Farmout Agreement Revision Drafting Committee and Unit Operating Agreement Model Form Committee, Andrew is the former Chair of the International Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and an Advisory Board Member for the Institute of Transnational Arbitration and the Institute for International and Comparative Law at CAIL.

Toufic P. Nassif is the President of T P Nassif and Associates LLC, a Houston based Energy Consultancy Company that specializes in the provision of expert advice, counseling, coaching and training on critical business development and negotiations areas including commercial petroleum operations. Prior to his current position he was the President and CEO of Sonde Resources Corp. responsible for the company oil and gas business in Canada and North Africa. Prior to Joining Sonde, he held the position of VP and Commercial Director for BP Libya where he lead the negotiation for the landmark exploration deal that was signed with the Libyan NOC in 2007, the largest Exploration deal in BP’s history and the largest ever awarded by Libya. Prior to his role in Libya Toufic was the Director of Negotiations for BP North Africa where he worked on the business development and the growth agenda (new ventures) for BP in Libya and Algeria. Toufic served as a director for BP Exploration North Africa and BP Exploration Libya Ltd from 1999-2010 and also held the position of Senior Advisor for E&P Business Development for BP Plc from 2007-2010. 

Prior to his move to London in 1999, Toufic was the Director of Commercial Development for the Exploration and Production Sector of Amoco Corporation, responsible for identifying, developing and establishing new business ventures in North Africa and the Middle East. 

Toufic held in 2004-2005 the office of the president of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN). He has more than 37 years in the energy business with comprehensive experience in business development, negotiations and commercial activities in North Africa and Middle East as well as extensive experience in commercial petroleum operations and oil and gas project management.

Harry W. Sullivan, Jr. is an International Energy Attorney based in Dallas, Texas where he is an Executive Professor at Texas A&M School of Law and an Adjunct Professor at S.M.U. Dedman School of Law and is Assistant General Counsel at Kosmos Energy.  He previously served as Senior Counsel‐International in the International E&P Legal Group of ConocoPhillips for 14 years, as Chief Counsel – International for Atlantic Richfield Company for 15 years and as Senior Counsel for Sun Oil Company for 5 years, where he provided legal and commercial advice and support for each company’s domestic and international energy activities. He has experience on numerous worldwide upstream and midstream projects. He holds a J.D. degree from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Herbert School of Law and an LL.M. degree from SMU’s Dedman School of Law. He has taught as an Adjunct Professor at South Texas College of Law and Texas Wesleyan School of Law, SMU’s Cox School of Business, the University of Texas at Arlington, and El Centro College. His legal education includes training in both civil law and common law. He is licensed to practice law in the states of Louisiana and Texas, and admitted to practice by the U.S. Supreme Court and numerous U.S. Federal Courts. Additionally, he is board certified in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law in Texas, and he is admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales.