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.
Murray Gilbey, Associate
LNG and Domestic Gas Marketing Specialist
Murray Gilbey is a senior LNG commercial professional with over 30 years of experience in the global energy sector. His career has focused on complex long-term Sales and Purchase Agreement negotiations, commercial strategy development, and international business relationships. His experience with supermajor energy companies and work with Japanese market participants has established him as a knowledgeable commercial advisor in the LNG industry.
During his tenure at Chevron Australia from 2009 to 2025, Murray held various marketing management positions across multiple business units. His work has covered the LNG value chain, from upstream development through to long-term commercial agreements with international buyers. As Marketing Manager for LNG Long Term SPAs and Domestic Gas GSAs from 2013 to 2023, Murray managed complex commercial negotiations involving multiple stakeholders.
Murray's notable commercial achievements include the extension of five Wheatstone LNG SPAs from 10-year to 20-year terms, which generated significant additional net present value of approximately US$60 billion. This work involved coordinating with various internal and external teams and required navigating complex commercial and contractual considerations.
His experience with Japanese energy companies has provided him with understanding of Japanese business practices and market requirements. His approach to working with Japanese customers emphasizes relationship-building and understanding of different cultural business approaches. This experience has been relevant in negotiations with Japanese utility companies and trading houses, where relationship management and consensus-building are important factors.
In his role as Sellers' Representative, Murray coordinated commercial activities among multiple sellers, including Chevron, Woodside, and KUFPEC. This position required balancing different interests while maintaining coordinated negotiating approaches. He managed five simultaneous price review negotiations across different international jurisdictions, which involved project management and coordination across multiple teams and time zones.
Murray has led cross-functional teams that include commercial, marketing, analytical, technical, and legal professionals. This multi-disciplinary approach has been important in LNG transactions where various technical, commercial, legal, and market considerations must be integrated. His leadership approach focuses on communication, coordination, and achieving shared objectives among diverse team members.
His collaboration with Woodside Energy has provided experience in joint venture structures common in the LNG industry. This work has involved managing shared commercial interests and coordinating between multiple corporate entities. His experience with KUFPEC has also provided exposure to international partnership dynamics and different commercial approaches.
From 2024 to 2025, Murray worked as Marketing Manager for Carbon Capture and Storage, representing Chevron in the Angel CCS Joint Venture. This role has provided exposure to emerging energy transition technologies and understanding of how traditional LNG commercial frameworks might incorporate environmental considerations that are becoming more relevant to Asian buyers.
Murray's technical background includes his earlier role as Lead Commercial Analyst for North West Shelf Australia LNG from 2005 to 2008, as well as field engineering experience with major industrial projects. This technical foundation provides understanding of LNG facility operations and operational considerations that affect commercial negotiations.
Murray's industry experience spans LNG, domestic gas markets, carbon capture and storage, providing broad understanding of the Australian energy sector and regulatory environment. His commercial approach emphasizes long-term value creation and strategic positioning of agreements to accommodate future market developments.
