Santiago González

Practice Areas

M&A; Energy; Natural Resources; Environment; Mining

Career

Santiago González Rojas is a partner in the Energy and Natural Resources practice in our Colombia office. He is an attorney with over 15 years of experience advising clients in the oil & gas, energy, and mining sectors. His practice spans the hydrocarbons industry (upstream, midstream, and downstream), mining, natural resources, agribusiness, and real estate.

Santiago has advised clients on a wide range of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, foreign investment, financings, regulatory compliance, and the drafting and negotiation of commercial agreements for the acquisition, operation, and transfer of interests in assets related to natural resources. He also has extensive experience advising on the development of renewable energy projects across Colombia.

In addition to his work at leading law firms, Santiago served as a senior in-house counsel at Equion Energía Limited (formerly BP Colombia), a joint venture between Ecopetrol and Repsol. Equion is among the top three oil and gas producers in Colombia, with operations in the Casanare region (Cusiana – Piedemonte).

Santiago holds a law degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, a postgraduate degree in mining and petroleum law, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Experience

Confidential Client: Advising on the acquisition of four solar mini-farms in Cesar. The transaction includes comprehensive due diligence and the negotiation of key contracts to ensure a successful process. Our work encompasses a detailed review of legal and regulatory aspects, ensuring compliance with renewable energy regulations and protecting the client’s interests.

Sun Valley Investments: Advising on the acquisition of a 24.99% stake in Mineros S.A., a mining company listed on the Colombian Stock Exchange (BVC) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The transaction marked Sun Valley’s entry into the Colombian market and strengthened its presence in Latin America. Our team led the structuring and execution, ensuring regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions, managing minority shareholder rights, and coordinating bridge financing for the transaction.

Energy Company: Advising New Stratus Energy on preparing arguments before environmental and hydrocarbon authorities to justify the termination of a concession contract. The project's environmental license covered more than 95% of the total area within exclusion zones.

Frontera Energy: Legal advisor to the client in the signing of an assignment contract in order to assign 35% of its participation in a gas block.

Confidential Client: Provided legal on the sale of 100% of the shares of Analizar Laboratorio Clínico.

New Stratus Energy: Advising the client in the acquisition of 100% of the shares of a Repsol company with oil assets in Ecuador.

Patterson – UTI Energy: Legal advisor to Patterson - UTI Energy on the acquisition of the Colombian companies Proveedora Internacional de Taladros and Pioneer de Colombia Sdad and the Panamanian company Pioneer Latina Group.

Spectrum: Advising Spectrum on the purchase of 100% of the shares of Andes Solares SAS and Yariguies Solares SAS.

Confidential Client: Legal advisor to the client on the Acquisition of 100% of Ecopetrol's shares in Bloque Petroleros CEGOC.

Confidential Client: Legal advisor to the client on the acquisition of multiple solar energy projects for an approximate value of USD 12,000,000.

Confidential Client: Legal advisor on the acquisition of one of the largest egg producing companies in the country.

Confidential Client: Legal advisor to a Spanish conglomerate of the hydrocarbons industry on the sale of its shares in the Ibero-American Hydrocarbons Company.

Confidential Client: Legal advisor to the client on the acquisition of 100% of the shares of an important oil company in the country.

Confidential Client: Legal advisor to the client on the acquisitionof Call Centers in Manizales for an approximate value of USD10,200,000.

Vatia: Legal counsel to Vatia in the structuring of the investment by IFC and in the negotiation and subsequent signing of an agreement for the issuance and subscription of shares of Vatia for an amount of US$10 million.

Gran Tierra Energy Inc.: Assisting with the negotiation and execution of two farm-in agreements for the acquisition of a participating interest and operatorship in the Aleas 1947-C E&P Contract and Aleas 1848-A E&P Contract held by Vetra Exploración & Producción.

Gran Tierra Energy: Counseling on the signing of agreements for the acquisition of three oil blocks located in the Departments of Arauca and Putumayo, Colombia. This transaction was possible through a series of asset sales agreements signed with the Colombian company, Vetra Exploración y Producción Colombia S.A.S. and the acquisition of shares of the Spanish company Vetra Southeast S.L.U.

Red Kite: Assisting in the design and implementation of a new Colombian security package including a collateral agency structure according to which new pledges and mortgages were negotiated and granted to Red Kite and Triple Flag (acting through Red Kite in its capacity of Collateral Agent). Furthermore, supporting in the negotiation and reviewing of the amended and restated credit agreement, inter-creditor agreement and the collateral agency agreement from the Colombian law perspective, together with the negotiation and registration of the Colombian pledges and mortgages.

Petroquímica Comodoro Rivadavia S.A.: Advisor to Argentinian group Petroquímica Comodoro Rivadavia S.A. in the due diligence and negotiation of farmout and joint operating agreement for the acquisition of a participating interest in a gas producing asset.

La Luna Resources: Advisor to La Luna Resources in the drafting and negotiation of drilling contract and other relates oilfield services agreements associated to its operations in Colombia.

Pentanova Energy: Advisor to Pentanova Energy in the due diligence and negotiation of farmout and joint operating agreement for the acquisition of oil & gas assets in Colombia.

Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (Today Frontera Energy): Advisor for Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. in takeover of E&P companies Petrominerales, C&C Energia and Petromagdalena with assets in Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil and Peru, for a an aggregate amount of over US$2.5 Billion.

Awards

Languages Spoken

English

Spanish

Education