As a team, ELS has unmatched operating experience across project commercialisation, commercial negotiations and commercial operations on the largest energy projects in Asia Pacific and North America.
Ken Chan, Managing Director
Commercial Operations LNG and Pipeline Gas
Ken has more than 18 years experience commercial operations (oil refining, domestic gas/LNG), contract negotiation (Lifting, LNG tolling) and management (LNG, domestic gas). Commencing as a process engineer at BP Kwinana Refinery, he complete roles in Process Safety, Hydroprocessing Support, Business Analysis, Refinery Optimisation, Production Planning. In 2012 he was appointed as pipeline gas scheduler for BP's East Coast refinery.
In 2014 Ken was seconded to the Northwest Shelf project’s shipping division, Northwest Shelf Shipping Services Company responsible for scheduling, communications and optimisation of the projects six LNG carriers in coordination with the LNG contract coordinators and plant offtake coordinators. 2015 he was recruited to Chevron's Wheatstone project as the Annual Delivery Programme manager, responsible for operationalising LNG Lifting Agreements and negotiating the allocation of 130 LNG cargoes to the 5 project owners in line with the project’s Joint Operating Agreements and LNG Lifting Agreements.
In 2017, Ken founded Equity Lifting Solutions (ELS) to provide commercial services to non-operating joint venture partners (NOJVs). In the years since ELS was established, he has lead growth of the business to serving project Operators, shifted the company's focus to low carbon projects, recruited a world-class team of subject matter experts and expanded the company's service line to commercial operations services, operations support, hydrocarbon accounting system design and gas supply origination. Ken has been directly involved in Burrup Hub Lifting Agreement negotiations, Mitsui E&P's Waitsia commercial negotiation and operationalization, Commercial concept design for Jemena on Port Kembla and Trucked LNG due diligence for Kimberley Mineral Sands' Thunderbird project.
Ken hold bachelor degrees from Curtin University in Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry and a Master of Business Administration (Curtin)
Stewart Gallagher, Principal Commercial Consultant
Commercial Operations, LNG and Pipeline Gas
Stewart has spent more than 35 years’ working as a commercial professional in the oil and gas industry, particularly in operating businesses at the interface between production / processing and marketing. He has wide ranging experience along the oil and gas value chain, having worked in gas production and processing projects, LNG and pipeline gas marketing, shipping, oil refining and oil products marketing, and petrochemicals marketing.
Stewart has extensive experience in product offake from oil and gas projects, both onto ships (LNG and oil) and into gas pipelines. This has required an understanding of how LNG production, storage and loading facilities, port and marine operations, shipping, and ADP development and management interact. Stewart was acknowledged as a production offtake expert when he worked at Shell and Woodside. In his most recent role at Woodside, he led the process of implementing equity lifting arrangements for LNG and other products from Pluto in readiness for delivery and processing of Scarborough gas at Pluto onshore facilities.
In addition to product offake, Stewart has spent much of the past two decades working on the North West Shelf (NWS) and Pluto projects in a variety of different roles. This includes JV commercial on Pluto foundation project, pipeline gas marketing at NWS, developing and managing the ADP for LNG jointly marketed by NWS participants, and implementing commercial arrangements for third party gas processing at NWS. Stewart holds a postgraduate degree in Chemistry from The University of Auckland, New Zealand, and an MBA Executive from The Australian Graduate School of Management.
Matt Jones, Partner
Commercial Operations, LNG and Pipeline Gas
Matt Jones is a senior commercial leader with over thirty years in the energy industry, including more than twenty years with Shell, where he built a deep track record across LNG, pipeline gas, condensate value chains, and complex joint ventures. His career has consistently centred on structuring and executing high-value commercial agreements, managing stakeholder relationships, and delivering pragmatic solutions that align operational realities with commercial objectives.
Internationally, Matt served as Deal Lead for LNG Canada, where he developed and led the Commercial Operations department in preparation for startup, managing negotiations and implementation of agreements critical to commissioning and stable operations. He worked closely with major partners including Shell, Petronas, Mitsubishi, PetroChina, and Kogas, navigating complex multi-party environments while aligning commercial and operational interests. Matt built effective relationships with pipeline operators, trading professionals, and First Nations representatives, ensuring collaborative outcomes in a challenging, high-stakes project environment.
Previously, Matt was Senior Commercial Manager at Shell Australia, responsible for Shell’s share of LNG and pipeline gas produced and marketed from the North West Shelf Joint Venture. He chaired the joint venture partner forum for marketing LNG and pipeline gas and managed the allocation of production under JV agreements while handling Shell’s LNG transfer pricing discussions with the Australian Tax Office. Matt developed strong relationships with Japanese and Chinese LNG customers, including Osaka Gas, Tokyo Gas, and JERA, ensuring Shell’s commercial interests were advanced while maintaining operational consistency.
In Brunei, Matt served as Deputy General Manager for Shipping and Marketing at Brunei LNG, leading a new Commercial Operations team during a period of transformation. He negotiated twenty-year feedgas supply agreements that secured Brunei LNG’s operations while ensuring flexibility for future needs. His leadership in establishing a spot marketing team and managing fleet renewals demonstrated his ability to align commercial strategy with operational execution while maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders such as Total, Mitsubishi, and Brunei Government entities.
Earlier roles included leading Shell’s commercial response during the Varanus Island supply disruption, managing bitumen pricing and supply chain optimisation across Australia, and serving as Shell’s Corporate Representative in Tasmania during a transition from fuel oil to gas. These roles developed Matt’s operational and commercial grounding, equipping him to manage complex, high-value negotiations while protecting commercial interests and maintaining reputational considerations.
Matt holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with Honours from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Diploma of Business Administration from the University of Queensland. His approach combines strategic insight with operational practicality, always focused on delivering outcomes that are commercially robust and operationally implementable. Matt’s experience spans the full value chain, from structuring flexible agreements and managing joint ventures to navigating regulatory and tax discussions, making him an effective partner for organisations seeking to optimise commercial value in complex energy projects.
Mark Hunter, Senior Consultant
Commercial Operations, LNG and Pipeline Gas
Mark has over 20 years of energy industry experience, including 16 years
with Chevron in commercial and operational roles. He specialises in joint
operating agreements, LNG and condensate equity lifting agreements,
and LNG offtake scheduling and optimisation.
At Chevron, he contributed to major Australian projects including the
Gorgon Project, Wheatstone Project, and North West Shelf Joint Venture,
and supported complex LNG lifting negotiations. Prior to Chevron, he
spent five years with ExxonMobil UK. His expertise spans commercial
strategy, stakeholder management, and delivering outcomes in
collaborative joint venture environments.
