About Fiona Potter
Fiona is a mining, resources and energy project development & operations expert.
Fiona's expertise spans construction and engineering law for major projects in the mining, resources and energy sectors. Over the past 20 years she has practiced in Australia, Asia and the Middle East-North Africa regions. She has acted for both public and private sector bodies on all legal aspects of project development and operations and associated dispute management.
Fiona particularly loves working in the mining and resources sectors, where she has worked for client in the gold, iron ore, copper, lithium and critical minerals space. She understands a harmonious project is a profitable project and assists clients manage contractual disputes to the benefit of the bottom line.
Fiona is a solutions focused with a professional positivity that is infectious.
When she is done drafting and negotiating for the day, Fiona enjoys the beach with her three sons, husband and labradoodle, Chewie.
Transport (road, rail, ports)
- Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Project – involving the proposed establishment of a 42 kilometre road and rail causeway bridge connecting the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Qatar.
- Gateway WA Project – advising Main Roads Western Australia on the planning and delivery stages of an extensive upgrade of the road network around Perth Airport as part of the Gateway WA project.
- New MetroRail City Project – Fiona has assisted with railway infrastructure and contract administration advice for the Perth to Mandurah railway line, including the New MetroRail City Project.
- Forrestfield Airport Link – advising the Western Australian Government on the contract administration phase of the $2 billion Forrestfield Airport Link project, a major rail upgrade project.
- EnergyConnect – acting for TransGrid in ‘two to the wire’ bidder’s deviations to EPC (based on FIDIC Silver Book 2017 edition). Bidder was ultimately successful.
Energy
- Alinta Energy Developments – advising Alinta in relation to procurement contracts and negotiating those contracts for Alinta across its Australian powergen assets including at Loy Yang B Power Station, Wagerup and Newman.
- Hunter Power Project – Acting for Snowy Hydro in the tender and negotiation of the procurement contracts for the Hunter Power Project.
- Multi-fuel Cogen Facility – acting for WR Carpenter No 1 Pty Ltd (member of the Griffin Group) in the EPC contract administration phase of for the Worsley Multi-fuel Cogeneration Project and the subsequent procurement of an EPCM and CM contractors after contractor insolvency.
- Cape Lambert Power Station – acting for Rio Tinto in the tender, negotiation and award of the Cape Lambert Power Station EPC contract.
- Yurralyi Maya Power Station – acting for Rio Tinto in the tender, negotiation and award of the Yurralyi Maya Power Station EPC contract.
Renewable energy
- Wave energy – advising the principal in relation to the establishment contracts for its flagship wave energy project in WA.
- Solar Power – advising energy provider on its participation in a solar power facilities in regional New South Wales, including due diligence on the construction and operational components.
- Solar Power – advising US solar energy contractor and negotiating on its behalf in respect of the proposed construction of a solar power plant (on an EPC basis) in Kuwait.
- Wind Power – advising energy provider on its proposed participation in a number of wind farm facilities in New South Wales, including due diligence on the construction and operation components.
- Wind Power – advising energy developer in the construction and operational aspects of a wind farm facility in rural Western Australia.
Resources
- Newcrest Telfer Gold Mine – seconded to Newcrest in respect of operations management, emergency management and claims matters for the Telfer WA mine. This included Covid management & assisting in establishing airport screening services for Telfer workers.
- Billabong Gold – advising Billabong in respect of its aerodrome runway works for Plutonic Gold Mine.
- Newcrest Telfer & Havieron Operations – advising Newcrest in respect of operations and establishment matters. Advice has included in respect of Covid claims by contractors including border restrictions and charter flight implications.
- Tropicana Gold Mine development – assisting the joint venture owner throughout the project including various mine establishment contracts (including EPCM contracting arrangements) and subsequent claims and dispute management.
- La Mancha – drafting and negotiating mill contract on an EPC basis for principal.
- Cape Preston Iron Ore – advising a principal in respect of termination and claims involving the construction of a desalination pipeline in the Cape Preston Iron Ore region of Western Australia.
- WA Coal Mine and Power Station – assisting with mining services agreement and arrangements for a WA coal mine.
- Southdown Magnetite Project – acting for joint venture owner in securing mine, pipe, port and associated infrastructure establishment contracts.
- Manufacturing plant – acting for a principal in respect of its negotiations with European contractors for the design and construction of a A$300 million cement manufacturing plant in Indonesia on an EPC basis.
- Procurement a – procurement contract suite engagements for Glencore Coal, Core Lithium, Fleetwood Australia and Perth Airport Pty Ltd.
Oil & Gas
- Browse LNG Project – advising an EPC Contractor in its bid for an offshore component of the Browse LNG Project off the coast of Western Australia.
- Wheatstone LNG Project – advising Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) on its proposed participation in the Wheatstone Liquefied Natural Gas project offshore of Western Australia, including in respect of the EPC contracting arrangements.
- Nghi Son Refinery Project Vietnam – advising in respect of process plant establishment agreements in Vietnam including acting for a principal in respect of the construction of a multi-billion dollar oil refinery and petrochemical plant in Vietnam on an EPC basis.
- WA LNG – advising a major contractor on its bid for onshore construction components of an LNG project in Western Australia (EPCI).
- Wheatstone DomGas pipeline - advised long-standing client, DUET Group, and its wholly-owned subsidiary DBP Development Group, on an agreement with Chevron Australia to build, own and operate the domestic gas pipeline for the Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project, and an associated $100 million capital raising.
- WA onshore LNG – advising the lead developer in relation to the construction of LNG facilities onshore Western Australia, including by way of BOO and EPC contracting models.
- DUET pipeline to FMG -assisted DUET Group and DBP Development Group on a $178m build, own and operate natural gas transmission pipeline from the Dampier Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline to Fortescue Metal Group Limited's Solomon Hub iron ore operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region. Allens advised on the joint venture, construction and gas transportation agreements, and on the $100m capital raising.
Asia
- Nghi Son Refinery Project Vietnam – advising in respect of process plant establishment agreements in Vietnam including acting for a principal in respect of the construction of a multi-billion dollar oil refinery and petrochemical plant in Vietnam on an EPC basis.
- Manufacturing plant – acting for a principal in respect of its negotiations with European contractors for the design and construction of a A$300 million cement manufacturing plant in Indonesia on an EPC basis.
- Pertamina Indonesia – advising Pertamina in relation to its EPC contracting arrangements in Indonesia.
- Vietnam Brewery Plant Establishment Contracts – Acting for Sapporo as principal in respect of the establishment of brewing facilities in Vietnam by way of package contracting.
Property Development
- Perth Airport Pty Ltd – panel lawyer for construction matters including development of EPC contract, negotiations and advice regarding airport upgrade and passenger security contracts.
- Dexus – advising the developer in respect of defects claims, rectification, and dispute management relating to prominent CBD development.
- Midland Health Campus, WA – advising St John of God Healthcare Inc on the delivery of the new public and private hospital at Midland Health Campus.
- SKS Group – advising the owners with establishment contracts for the construction of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Northbridge, WA.
- Homes Australia Group – advising the liquidators in relation to display home construction contracts.
- 447 Collins St Melbourne – advising an investor in respect of applicable construction contracts.
- Midland Gate Redevelopment – advising the developer in respect of the construction components.
- Fleetwood Australia Pty Ltd – advising Fleetwood and related entities in respect of the construction components of social infrastructure projects, including schools & prisons.