LAWYER PROFILE
Thomas Bethel

Thomas Bethel

UK 2026

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Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Practice Areas

- Energy, natural resources and infrastructure finance

- Project finance

- Projects

- Finance

Career

Thomas is a partner based in our London office. Thomas works in the energy transition and infrastructure finance team. He is one of the most experienced lawyers in the English law upstream oil and gas financing market. Over more than 20 years he has worked on a very large number of financings and refinancings in the sector, across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America. His experience also extends to complex project financings and restructurings in the energy sector. Thomas' experience includes advising on the lender-side of deals involving all the major oil and gas banks in the market. He also regularly acts for borrowers, giving him a balanced understanding of the expectations of all parties. His approach is commercial and pragmatic, with a focus on finding solutions to structuring issues and points of negotiation to allow deals to proceed to closing efficiently. Thomas has recently worked on a number of acquisitions in the upstream sector, for banks and private equity funds, and on a number of deals involving non-bank lenders. Early in his career Thomas undertook a secondment to the commercial team of a leading oil and gas bank, giving him valuable commercial insight which he has carried forward and developed through his career. As a senior associate he was seconded to the firm’s Middle East practice, working on a variety of project financings, Islamic financings and restructurings.

For additional information on Thomas’s professional background, please visit: https://www.hsfkramer.com/our-people/t/thomas-bethel

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession

Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas - UK-wide

Band 3
Band 3

Individual Editorial

Thomas Bethel has significant expertise in oil and gas financings. He often represents lenders in loan refinancings and reserve-based lending, with experience across the continents, including Europe, Africa and the Americas. He has also worked on upstream acquisitions.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • He's fantastic. He is incredibly intelligent, responsive and commercial. He gets what the issues are and delivers and turns things around in a good timeframe.

    Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & GasChambers Guide to the Legal Profession

Ranked Individuals at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP (143)

London (Firms)

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