Biography
Monica Hwang, co-head of the Firm’s LNG Industry Group, counsels clients on energy-related project development matters, including joint ventures and complex commercial transactions. She has extensive experience working on midstream projects, including liquefied natural gas import and export projects and gas and crude oil/refined product terminalling.
Prior to her legal career, Monica held various managing and contributor roles in upstream production, gas processing and wholesale, and retail energy trading and risk management. She uses her working industry knowledge to craft innovative solutions.
Multiple legal publications have recognized Monica for her work in the oil and gas sector, such as IFLR 1000, who ranks Monica as a "Highly Regarded lawyer"; The Legal 500 US, who ranks Monica as a "Key Lawyer"; and Chambers USA, who lists Monica as "Band 3" in its Projects: LNG category.
Experience
LNG and Oil & Gas
Lake Charles LNG on all project and commercial aspects of its proposed LNG export project, including the landmark 2 mtpa LNG sales agreement with Chevron and GHG reporting provisions.
Leading global oil & gas company in connection with three long-term offtake arrangements, comprising an LNG SPA to purchase LNG from Phase 2 of Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass Project, an LNG SPA to purchase LNG from Venture Global’s US Gulf Coast portfolio and an LNG SPA to purchase LNG from Train 5 of NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG project.
LNG project developer with the project and equity financings of an LNG liquefaction terminal currently under development on the west coast of Mexico.
US producer in connection with the renegotiation of LNG offtake agreements in relation to Delfin LNG.
A Japanese gas utility on its proposed equity investment and tolling arrangement with a US project.
Eagle LNG on its commercial arrangements, including term sheet in relation to collaboration to produce bio-LNG for export to Europe.
European investor on equity investment in a new greenfield US Gulf Coast LNG project.
A consortium on its ongoing development and commercial matters related to its LNG-to-power and LNG-to-CNG project located in Jamaica.
A producer in connection with its restructuring of contractual arrangements with Commonwealth LNG.
A Latin American company on the renegotiation of its regasified LNG SPA with NFE.
A Latin American consortium on the renegotiation of an LNG SPA with TotalEnergies.
Advised an international oil company on its due diligence as bidder for sale of Chevron’s interest in Equatorial Guinea LNG.
Pembina Pipeline in connection with the commercialization of its Prince Rupert propane export terminal, including an innovative time charter vessel arrangements.
Advising an E&P producer / operator on unitization agreement for production by strata.
Advising a US producer on various midstream arrangements in connection with new upstream production in Latin America, including liquids terminalling and balancing and netback pricing on processed gas.
Advising a US producer on processing and exchange arrangements to enable well to water export of LPGs, including on corresponding master LPG sales agreements.
Power, Renewable Energy and Energy Transition
Global hyperscaler on new renewable power generation procurement arrangements with a Midwest utility, along with a development services agreement to procure additional power generation for a 3.5 GW data center development in Wisconsin.
Net Power on the negotiation of a gas-to-power tolling arrangement encompassing gas sales and VPPAs with a major gas producer from the world’s first near-zero emissions utility-scale, natural gas-fired plant in Texas to supply a data center in the US.
Major US solar company on PPA arrangements with a hyperscaler for the development of a solar plus BESS project in Nevada.
Major EPC contractor in ongoing design, construction and joint venture arrangements with a large fully regulated utility for a US$ multibillion gas-fired generation facility to supply hyperscaler development in Indiana.
Major US power developer on gas-fired and renewable power generation procurement matters for a data center in Texas.
PE-backed power developer on a virtual PPA with leading US cloud provider from a gas-fired power plant in Texas to supply a data center development in the US.
PE investor on PPA arrangements with a leading US e-commerce company from a 400 MW solar and 800 MW BESS project in Texas to supply a data center development in the US.
Sponsor on PPA arrangements for the development of a semiconductor and other AI products advanced packaging fabrication and R&D facility in Indiana.
Avantus on renegotiating a 20-year PPA with state utility buyers for its 200 MWac / 500 MWh Arati-na 1 solar plus BESS project in California.
Major US solar company on PPA arrangements with a public utility for the development of a 500 MW solar plus BESS project in California.
Major US solar company on PPA arrangements with an investor-owned utility for the development of a 475 MW solar project in Nevada.
Advising a PE-backed project developer on all aspects of its renewable energy projects across the US and various ISOs, including drafting and negotiating power purchase, shared facilities and energy management agreements.
Advising a PE firm on the development and development loan / tax equity financing for various renewable energy project across the US and various ISOs, including drafting and negotiating PPAs.
Advised a new tech project developer on power tolling arrangement and virtual PPA in connection with its gas to power with CCUS project in ERCOT.
Representing a major energy company in the negotiation of various CO2 sequestration agreements.
Advising a US pipeline company on a CO2 capture arrangement (for both EOR and sequestration) and related tax equity financing.
Recognized by Chambers USA in the category of Projects: LNG (2022-2024)
Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (2024) and Project Finance (2024)
Ranked by Chambers Global for Projects: LNG (2023)
Recognized by Chambers Global as an "Up and Coming" lawyer for Projects: LNG (2022)
Recognized as a "Key Lawyer" for Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas, The Legal 500 US (2021)
Recognized as a "Highly Regarded" Lawyer for Oil and Gas, IFLR1000
Burton Award for Excellence in Legal Writing (2014) for "Overview of Issues Common to Structuring, Negotiating and Documenting LNG Projects," Journal of World Energy Law & Business (October 2013)