Dr. Lancaster is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with 40 years of experience which spanned roles from a full mechanical apprenticeship, design draughtsman/engineer, project engineer, project manager, director of project controls & planning (EPC/EPCM), and general management (EPC) totaling approximately 25 years, followed by approximately 15 years working as a delay analyst focusing on the provision of testifying expert witness services in the oil & gas/power sector.
Dr. Lancaster has vast international experience having worked on, and advised in relation to, projects in over 30 countries living and working in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, U.S., and Australia. In particular, his focus is on oil & gas and power projects including onshore and offshore oil & gas assets comprising LNG liquefaction (10 projects), LNG import terminals (4 projects), LPG plants, oil refineries, tank farms, pipelines (subsea and onshore), FPSO and FSOs (conversion and new build), FLNG, shipyard fabrication, semi-submersibles, jack-ups, platforms, exploration drilling, offshore T&I and HUC, and petrochemicals (Polyethylene, Propylene, Aromatics, Ammonia, Urea, Polysilicon), nuclear, fossil fuel, wind farm and solar power projects. He also has a significant track record with respect to mining & metallurgy.
Dr. Lancaster has been appointed as a delay and/or disruption expert witness in international arbitrations on 51 occasions, which required oral testimony to be given at hearings 18 times (dispute values up to multi-billion USD) in numerous jurisdictions (virtual hearings & hot tubbing).
Who’s Who Legal rankings includes: Construction Expert Witness 2023 – Global Elite Thought Leader: “He is a top expert for Oil & Gas projects”, “John Lancaster is widely renowned as “an excellent, and strong delay expert with a great reputation in the market“”, ”John enjoys an exceptional reputation in the field”, Arbitration Expert Witnesses 2022/2023: “John is an absolutely excellent expert witness“, “A top-notch delay expert in complex construction arbitrations” Construction Expert Witness 2022/2021 – Global Elite Thought Leader: “John is one of the world’s top delay experts”, “He has a very deep understanding of events that truly impact the progress of work on a project”, “He produces top-quality reports that are easily comprehensible by the tribunal” and “He is calm and confident under cross-examination”.