The national firm is acting for Ensus, a new company set up with funding from the Carlyle Group and Riverstone to build one of Europe’s largest bioethanol plants and one of the largest ‘green fuel’ plants in the
Halliwells landed the role last year ahead of
Ensus will begin the construction of the new plant at an existing petrochemical site in Teesside later this year.
The plant, which is expected to be up and running by 2009, converts wheat into bioethanol, which is then added to petrol to create renewable biofuels.
It is understood the company has already sealed a contract with oil giant Shell to buy all the plant’s fuel until 2019.
The deal marks the latest steps to bring the
Corporate partner Tim Jackson-Smith led a 12-strong team for Halliwells that also included corporate associate Karen Procter and property partner John Barker.
Jackson-Smith commented: “This kind of instruction goes a long way to showing Halliwells has got the strength in depth to compete for this calibre of work in the future.”
Elsewhere, Clifford Chance acted for Carlyle and Riverstone, with corporate partner David Walker in the lead role.
Norton Rose banking and projects partner Simon Currie represented the lending banks, Societe Generale, Calyon and Royal Bank of Scotland.