Profile

With more than 30 years of legal practice, Mike Arruda’s experience encompasses almost every aspect of oil and gas activity. His practice centers on the acquisition, operation, and divestiture of oil and gas interests on behalf of clients in Asia. He represents oil and gas companies that are resident in Asia making acquisitions abroad as well as oil and gas companies based outside of Asia that are seeking to acquire companies or assets in Asia. Collectively, the clients he represents are involved in the full spectrum of oil and gas activities, from exploration and development through midstream processing and transportation to downstream refining and sales.

Mr. Arruda assists clients with oil and gas industry transactions, including competitive tenders and auctions, data acquisitions, joint studies, joint ventures, joint operations, farm-ins and farm-outs, unitizations, pipeline rights-of-way, crude oil sales, gas sales, gas balancing and storage, oil and gas processing, facility sharing, and various other transactional matters relating to the acquisition, operation, and disposition of oil and gas interests.

Mr. Arruda has represented clients in energy acquisitions and related transactions around the world, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, Libya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

Prior to going into private practice, Mr. Arruda worked as in-house counsel with a major international oil and gas company and in government.

Education

• J.D., University of Notre Dame Law School 1977
• B.S., Arizona State University 1974