Womble Bond Dickinson and Marval represent TotalEnergies on sale of two Vaca Muerta world-class oil blocks
Womble Bond Dickinson, based in London, and Argentine firm Marval advised TotalEnergies and its subsidiary Total Austral on the sale of their 45% interests in the La Escalonada and Rincón la Ceniza blocks in Neuquén to YPF, in a transaction exceeding US$500 million.
The agreement, signed in early August, was finalized yesterday following the fulfillment of several conditions, including government approvals, third-party consents, and waivers of preemptive rights.
The transaction involved a competitive process and the restructuring of the assets, which were transferred through the sale of shares in a newly created entity. Gas y Petróleo del Neuquén and Shell hold the remaining interests in the blocks, with 10% and 45%, respectively.
The London-based team from Womble Bond Dickinson was led by Colin Graham (pictured right), Carl Powlson, Scarlett Hanks, and Sarah Deckers, with José Luis Vittor, Francisco Bladuzzi, Analilia Gomez, and Ian Beckelman providing support from the firm’s U.S. office.
TotalEnergies’ legal team was led by Vincent Bastien, Pierre Monteil, Gabriela Rosello, and Léonore de Mullewie.
A multidisciplinary group from Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal, including Pablo Artagaveytia (pictured left), Francisco Macías, María Inés Brandt, Soledad Riera, Francisco Abeal, and Virginia Canzonieri advised TotalEnergies from Argentina. From Paris, Gide Loyrette Nouel’s Elizabeth Gautier also supported the transaction.
YPF was advised by Milbank in New York (Francisco Núñez and Ross Shepard) and by PAGBAM’s Francisco Romano, Manuel Benites, and Luis Barry, in Buenos Aires. YPF’s in-house team was led by Pilar Rodríguez Salto and Fernando Gómez Zanou.
