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Matt Wilks is a technical and commercial Expert in the oil and gas industry, with a focus on: commercial operations (including Force Majeure issues); product sales contracts; joint ventures; and asset management. He frequently provides Expert testimony as part of International Arbitration proceedings.

Matt Wilks’s expertise stems from his experience at Executive and Board Director level spanning thirty-five years in the global oil & gas industry. This experience covers all segments of the energy value chain, including Exploration & Production, LNG, natural gas pipeline transportation, power generation and project financing. He has created high performing, multi-disciplinary teams at both corporate and business unit levels. He has also held General Manager responsibility for international asset management and joint venture operations. An experienced business developer and expert negotiator with proven ability to originate, negotiate and close politically complex transactions, resolve disputes and Force Majeure claims in multi-cultural environments and to develop, deliver and optimise successful operations in upstream and midstream opportunities.

Matt was the Chief Commercial Officer for Maersk Oil, East Africa Country Manager for BG Group and has held senior commercial & operational roles with ConocoPhillips, Conoco, Premier Oil, Amoco and BP. He holds degrees in Physical Sciences and a Tripartite in Maths, Physics and Chemistry.

Matt Wilks has acted as an Expert Witness and Advisor across multiple geographic locations and legal jurisdictions. He has provided expert opinion to both corporate and sovereign entities, led negotiations and dispute resolution and provided Expert Witness testimony in International Arbitration.

Some of his recent expert witness appointments include:

  • Appointed as Expert Witness for a State-owned gas company in Mid-East: testified in arbitration in relation to technical aspects of FM of gas turbine compressor failure (and other operational issues) in a significant cross border pipeline dispute under ICC arbitration rules.
  • Appointed as Expert Witness for a State-owned oil company: conducting arbitration and court proceedings in relation to substantial disputes concerning oil concessions in West Africa under UNCITRAL arbitration rules.
  • Oil and Gas Advisor to the President, Cooperative Republic of Guyana
  • Oil and Gas Advisor, Inter-American Development Bank
  • Oil and Gas risk advisory for new country entry reports for International Oil Company
  • Negotiated dispute resolutions for: a West African oil concession; non-performance of licence obligations in a former CIS country; and concession withdrawal for large conglomerate in Europe
  • Appointed as Expert Witness for a major European Gas Buyer conducting arbitration in relation to a number of Seller Force Majeure claims relating to technical inability (compression failure and repair, infrastructure breach and alternate supply options) to supply and transport gas under ICC arbitration rules.
  • Advising a State-owned gas company on dispute resolution (including possible arbitration) related to the technical and operational issues of a Force Majeure claim.
  • Appointed as Expert Witness for an International Joint Venture: conducting arbitration and court proceedings in relation to Joint Venture Agreements concerning oil concessions in West Africa under UNCITRAL arbitration rules.
 

 

Matt Wilks is an Expert in oil and gas commercial contracts, joint ventures, commercial operations and asset management which he applies as part of International Arbitration proceedings.

Matt Wilks has acted as an Expert Witness and Advisor across multiple geographic locations and legal jurisdictions. He has provided expert opinion to both corporate and sovereign entities, led negotiations and dispute resolution and provided Expert Witness testimony in International Arbitration. 

His expert work has frequently entailed:

  • Originating, negotiating and closing politically complex gas and crude oil transactions around the world, working in over 20 countries globally
  • Forensic analysis of oil and gas contract suites, commercial evaluation, formulation and implementation of negotiation strategy, negotiation lead for all aspects of oil and gas sales contracts, joint venture agreements, joint operating agreements and associated agreements such as lifting, balancing, allocation and quality banking
  • Negotiation and dispute resolution of oil and gas contractual disputes – both operational and commercial, including unitisation, sales and purchase agreements and farm-in/out agreements
  • Leveraging global operational and technical management experience in managing and resolving disputes
  • Expert witness testimony in International Arbitration
  • Assisting Sovereign entities regulation and policy bodies in managing emerging hydrocarbon sectors effectively