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Image: Habeeb Rahman

Habeeb Rahman

Partner, Corporate Department

Overview

Habeeb Rahman is an Abu Dhabi-based partner in our Energy & Infrastructure practice. 

Habeeb advises project sponsors, developers, procurers, financial investors and lenders on contractual arrangements for the tendering, engineering, construction and operation of energy, oil and gas, petrochemical, utilities and infrastructure projects. He provides strategic advice and risk analysis on an array of construction procurement arrangements and has extensive experience of BEP, FEED, EPC, EPCM, O&M and DBOM contracts as well as PPP, BOOT, supply, consultancy and technology licensing agreements.

Habeeb is recognized by publications such as Legal 500, where he was awarded Rising Star of the Year, Construction for the Middle East and North Africa in 2024. Client testimonials note: "Habeeb Rahman worked closely with us and was of tremendous help. Habeeb prepares diligently for all meetings and is willing to negotiate tooth and nail when required while also giving sound and realistic advice to us. His dedication to work and general approachability are key strengths."

Accolades

  • Rising Star of the Year, Construction, Middle East and North Africa, Legal 500 (2024)
  • Rising Star, Construction, UAE, Legal 500 (2020-23)

Education

  • BPP University Law School London, GDL
  • The College of Law, London, L.P.C.
  • The London School of Economics and Political Science, BSc (with Honors)

Representations

Utilities

  • USAID / Ministry of Water and Irrigation on construction and engineering aspects of the Amman-Aqaba Water Desalination and Conveyance Project in Jordan, which will provide 300 MCM/ year of desalinated water.
  • Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) in connection with the Taweelah C IPP; the Madinat Zayed IPP; the Saadiyat Island RO IWP; the BESS 1 IPP; and the restructuring and extension of the Shuweihat 1 IWPP.
  • Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) in connection with the development of the $1.14 billion Fujairah F3 power generation plant, having a net capacity of 2400MW, together with a grid station and associated facilities. This deal was recognized as “Middle East Power Deal of the Year” by Project Finance International 2020 and “MENA Power Deal of the Year” by IJ Global 2020
  • Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) in connection with the PV2 IPP involving the development of a 2GW solar project, the largest single-site solar project in the world, together with a grid station and associated facilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This deal was recognized as “Middle East Solar Deal of the Year” by Project Finance International 2020 and “MENA Renewables Deal of the Year” by IJ Global 2020.
  • Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) in connection with 120 MIGD Mirfa 2 RO IWP. This deal was recognized as “Middle East and Africa Infrastructure Deal of the Year” by Project Finance International 2023.
  • A consortium of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC — “Masdar,” Infinity Power Holding B.V and Hassan Allam Utilities B.V — as sponsors for the development of a 1.2 GW solar photovoltaic power with battery storage project under the Build-Own-Operate scheme in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
  • Abu Dhabi Power Corporation and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) on the establishment and contractual arrangements for a new government-backed Super-ESCO project in Abu Dhabi.
  • Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) in connection with the 1.5 GW Sudair solar project, the largest single-site solar project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This deal was recognized as “Structured Finance Deal of the Year” by Capital Markets Saudi Arabia Awards 2021.
  • Saudi Aramco on the $1 billion Tanajib Cogeneration and Desalination Plant IWPP. This deal was recognized as “MENA Power Deal of the Year” by IJ Global 2021.
  • Saudi Aramco on the Jafurah cogeneration IPP in Saudi Arabia, the Jafurah desalination plant IWP in Saudi Arabia and the Zuluf water treatment plant project in Saudi Arabia.
  • Saudi Aramco on the divestment, development and operation of the $12 billion Jazan Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle (IGCC) project. This deal was recognized as “Global Deal of the Year” by Project Finance International 2021 and “MENA Hybrid Energy Deal of the Year” by IJ Global 2021.
  • Tarshid/National Energy Savings Company on the legal framework for the establishment of a government-backed Super-ESCO project in Saudi Arabia.
  • The Water and Electricity Holding Company (Badeel), a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), in connection with the development and approximately $2.25 billion financing of three separate solar PV projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — Ar Rass 2 PV IPP, Saad 2 PV IPP and Al Kahfah PV IPP.

Oil, Gas & Petrochemicals

  • ADNOC on the EPC and long-lead item procurement contracts for the US$6.8 billion Upper Zakum 1.5MMBD Offshore Expansion project, which aims to expand the world’s second largest offshore oil field from 1MMBD to 1.5 MMBD by the early 2030s.
  • ADNOC on the EPC arrangements for the NASR 115MBD Phase 2 Offshore Development Project.
  • ADNOC on the FEED and EPC arrangements for the greenfield development of Offshore Block-5, a new 6,223 sq. km offshore concession located 100 kms off the coast of Abu Dhabi.
  • ADNOC on the engineering, procurement and construction of an underground crude oil storage facility and associated access tunnels, water curtain galleries and connection tunnels in 3 mined rock caverns, with a total net storage capacity of 42 million barrels.
  • ADNOC on the preparation of the EPC contract and related arrangements for the Haliba Field Development project in Abu Dhabi.
  • ADNOC Gas Processing on the negotiation of technology licensing arrangements for the Habshan CO2 Recovery & Injection Project in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
  • Abu Dhabi Polymers Co. Ltd. (Borouge), a joint venture between ADNOC and Borealis, on the procurement and technology licensing contracts for the multi-billion dollar Borouge 4 Petrochemical Complex in the Ruwais Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
  • Saudi Aramco on the divestment, development and operation of the US$12 billion Jazan Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle (IGCC) project. 
  • Saudi Arabian Oil Company on the review and update of its drilling contracts.
  • Saudi Aramco on construction and operating arrangements relating to interconnection facilities at YASREF, SASREF and SAMREF oil refineries located in Yanbu Industrial City, Saudi Arabia.
  • Saudi Arabian Oil Company on the construction aspects of the Amiral petrochemical complex involving $11 billion of engineering, procurement and construction contracts.
  • Proman AG in a joint venture with Abu Dhabi Chemicals Derivatives Company RSC Ltd. (TA’ZIZ) to develop the UAE’s first world-scale gas-to-methanol production facility at the TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, with an anticipated annual capacity of 1.8 million tons per annum. TA’ZIZ is a joint venture between ADNOC and ADQ.
  • BY POLİMER Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., an SPV established by the Bayegan group, in connection with the FEED contract for an integrated petrochemical (450kpta propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit and 385kpta polypropylene (PP) unit) facility in Hatay, Turkey.
  • The sponsors, QatarEnergy and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC (CPChem) as the joint sponsors, on the technology license and EPC arrangements for the $4.4 billion financing for the development and construction of the Ras Laffan Petrochemical project, an integrated polymers complex in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. This deal was recognized as “Middle East and Africa Petrochemical Deal of the Year” by Project Finance International 2023.
  • Nine regional and local lenders in connection with the technology license arrangements for the SAR6.1 billion Islamic project financing of Advanced Polyolefins Industry Company's new petrochemicals complex located in Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia. This deal was recognized as “Project Finance Loan Deal of the Year” by Capital Markets & ESG Finance Saudi Arabia Awards 2023.
  • Engro Corporation Limited on technology license agreements for the development of a propane dehydrogenation and polypropylene production facility in Pakistan.

Metals & Mining

  • Saudi Arabian Oil Company on the construction and development aspects of a multibillion-dollar integrated steel plates facility involving Baosteel and PIF as co-shareholders.
  • A Saudi Arabian sponsor on all aspects of the construction, development and financing of a multibillion-dollar steel plate manufacturing project in the kingdom involving a Chinese sponsor and Chinese lenders. 
  • International sponsors in connection with a direct reduction iron ore project in the Middle East.

Transport & Infrastructure

  • Consortium of AlBawani Capital, AREIC RED and AltamimiCo Company on all aspects of its bid for the Ministry of Defense Riyadh Administrative Office PPP Project.
  • Khazna Data Centres on the EPC contract and related arrangements for the construction of a 1-GW AI supercomputing cluster in the UAE.
  • Amazon Web Services on numerous data centre development projects across the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Ireland from 2022-25.
  • Saudi Aramco on the structuring, tendering, development and financing of all five of its residential camp procurements, with over US$2.5 billion in capital value, to be developed on a BOOT basis.
  • Diriyah Gate Development Authority on the preparation of standard form contracts for a range of construction, procurement and consultancy services.
  • Red Sea Development Company on the financing of Phase One of the Red Sea Project. This deal was recognised as “Project Finance Deal of the Year” by Capital Markets Saudi Arabia Awards 2021.
  • Abu Dhabi Airport Company on the EPC contract for the main terminal building at Zayed International Airport.
  • Etihad Rail on multiple matters for the current and future phases of the Etihad Rail project, including the review and update of its construction, procurement, commercial and rail haulage services contracts.
  • The Saudi government and National Centre for Privatization (NCP) on the restructuring of Hajj Terminal Complex at King Abdulaziz International Airport (on account of the impact of COVID-19 on the existing concession).
  • Marathon Digital Holdings on the development and operation of the first large-scale, immersion-cooled Bitcoin mining facilities in Abu Dhabi.

Healthcare

  • Oman Global Logistics in connection with the construction of two hospital projects in Oman.
  • Scope Investment on a partnership with Asan Medical Center (South Korea’s largest general tertiary-care hospital) and the establishment of a gastrointestinal hospital in Dubai. The transaction entailed advice on an operation and management framework and joint venture agreements in relation to the parties’ investment in the hospital. 
  • Mumtada Medical Care Company (as project company) and Ezdihar Holding Company (as primary sponsor) on the project development and $74 million financing of Khurais Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, including advising on EPC and O&M contract arrangements.
  • UAE-based sovereign wealth client (M42) on the drafting and negotiation of a contract for the operation, maintenance and management of a military hospital in the UAE.
  • Ashmore Group in connection with the branding, operation and management of a Kings College London-branded hospital project in Vietnam.

Hydrogen

  • A client in connection with the development of the largest blue hydrogen and ammonia project. 
  • Aramco on its acquisition of a 50% interest in Blue Hydrogen Industrial Gases Company (BHIG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air Products Qudra, itself a joint venture between Air Products and Chemicals Inc and Vision Invest.

Matters may have been handled prior to joining Paul Hastings.

Practice Areas

Energy and Infrastructure

Data Centers


Languages

English


Admissions

England and Wales Solicitor


Education

BPP University Law School London, LL.M.

The College of Law, London, L.P.C.

The London School of Economics and Political Science, B.Sc.