I have broad legal and commercial experience gained over 15 years of assisting clients with energy and resources projects in Australia. My experience includes assisting with due diligence, feasibility studies, land access, tenure and approval requirements and strategies, overlapping tenure advice, power procurement strategies and solutions, infrastructure access and development. I also advise on regulatory requirements and opportunities.

Ben has completed secondments with Anglo American (13 months over 2020 and 2021) and Peabody Energy (18 months over 2013 and 2014). While on secondment, Ben managed a large number of complex regulatory, operational and commercial matters for underground and open cut and underground coal projects in New South Wales and Queensland and for coal and mineral exploration projects in Queensland and Western Australia. His in-house experience also includes a secondment to Tarong Energy where he gained a detailed understanding of day to day power station operations.

Career highlights

• Anglo American Metallurgical Coal: Acted in relation to the sale of its interests in Dawson Seamgas including negotiation of a 'life of lease' Co-Development Agreement and Coordination Arrangement and advised on operational aspects of the Co-Development Agreement since execution in 2010.
• Anglo, QGC, Rio Tinto Coal, Pacific Aluminium and Peabody Energy: Assisted with negotiations for electricity connection and access agreements, advised on contestability of works, operation and maintenance, and developed commercial strategies to achieve optimal pricing and commercial terms. 
• Sichuan Rail Investment Group: Coordinated and directed purchaser due diligence on, and assisted with negotiations for, an investment in the Roseby Project, a proposed copper / gold mine in Western Queensland. 
• Peabody Energy: Advised on all aspects of a mine-mouth waste coal mine gas power station project, including advising on incidental coal seam gas (ICSG) rights, overlapping tenure considerations, tenure options to permit commercialisation of ICSG (through sale of electricity surplus to the mine's requirements), renewable energy scheme liability, retail strategy, electricity market interface and regulatory approval considerations. 
• Queensland Treasury Corporation: Member of the MinterEllison team that advised on the proposal to lease the Queensland electricity networks, with key responsibility for advising on regulated and non-regulated connection agreements and Queensland and National Scheme electricity licensing requirements.
• Peabody Energy: Key adviser on complex commercial and regulatory considerations in relation to negotiations and documentation for a long term innovative fuel services project involving the conversion of mine truck fleets to operate on a mixture of waste coal mine gas and diesel (dual fuel).