Understanding Joint Operating Agreements

This book focusses on key practical issues faced by oil and gas companies in different parts of the world in negotiating and implementing Joint Operating Agreements.

Historically oil and gas upstream activities were developed in common law jurisdictions. In the same manner the first model form of Joint Operating Agreements (JOAs) was developed in 1956 by the American Association of Professional Landmen. This historical model form provided the industry with guidance for future generations of JOAs. Although the JOAs were initially used in common law jurisdictions (US, Canada, UK, etc.) later on it was used in civil law jurisdictions throughout South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. There is no JOA model available in the industry to address all of the requirements from a large variety of civil law perspectives. The Norwegian and Greenlandic authorities offer their own JOA models, which are suitable within these jurisdictions. The AIPN JOA model form 2012 issued a short guidance note for civil law issues. Although this initiative was very much welcomed by the industry, it was not possible to provide extensive guidance on every detail and provide advice on exactly what your JOA provisions should look like at the very end. Therefore, the main issue for the petroleum industry is the fact that large upstream investments could be done based on a contract that might not be enforceable in a civil law jurisdiction. This book analyses the main issues that a JOA might face within seventeen civil jurisdictions with large oil and gas reserves or at least large potential (including but not limited to Angola, Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Holland, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Mozambique, Norway, Russia, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, etc.). It is a unique and valuable publication for practitioners, legal counsel, businessmen, and academics involved in the upstream industry around the world.

Because agreements concerning oil and gas upstream activities have historically been developed in common law jurisdictions, a growing concern for the petroleum industry is that a some upstream investment might not be enforceable in a civil law jurisdiction to the extent the same standards/concepts are used without any adaptation. This is why it is essential to understand and analyse how to implement a Joint Operating Agreement in civil law countries. This new edition of this unique in-depth treatment of JOAs under civil law offers a new abundance of practical considerations addressing enforceability issues in a wide variety of civil law jurisdictions likely to be conducting joint operations among two or more parties. The country-by-country analysis helps greatly in ensuring that such issues and topics as the following will be covered in a contract subject to civil law: obligations and liabilities; relationship of the parties; exclusive operations; force majeure; hardship; and host granting instrument. A useful appendix to this new edition is dedicated to a wealth of short practical comments and specific guidance. The first edition of this book presented the first JOA edited book to address the essential requirements from a large variety of civil law perspectives. This new edition offers a broader and more complete discussion of the latest legal developments with respect to the legal framework and principles underpinning JOAs in more civil law countries. It analyses the main issues that the petroleum industry and its investors might face in civil law jurisdictions with actual or potential large oil and gas reserves, and as such it is a unique and immensely valuable source of information and guidance for oil and gas law practitioners, legal counsel, and business and commercial negotiators involved in transnational operating agreements around the world.

This new second edition provides a pragmatic examination of the provisions of a typical JOA in the order that they appear, with a particular focus on the critical issues of scope, the operator s role, joint and exclusive operations, default, transfers and decommissioning"

Analyzes the main features of the joint operating agreement for offshore operations in the UK. This edition includes more alternative clauses and commentary, a new chapter on offtake of petroleum and a comparison of the provisions of UK offshore joint operating agreements and agreements elswhere

This new title examines the most complex provision of the JOA, explaining everything that individuals working in the petroleum industry should know about exclusive operations and their consequences.

A report which examines step-by-step the Joint Operating Agreement as the contractual source of each party's rights and liabilities in the exploration, development and production of oil and gas fields. Coverage includes key clauses of the Agreement plus the legal relationships it creates.

Historically oil and gas upstream activities were developed in common law jurisdictions. In the same manner the first model form of Joint Operating Agreements (JOAs) was developed in 1956 by the American Association of Professional Landmen. This historical model form provided the industry with guidance for future generations of JOAs. Although the JOAs were initially used in common law jurisdictions (US, Canada, UK, etc.) later on it was used in civil law jurisdictions throughout South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. There is no JOA model available in the industry to address all of the requirements from a large variety of civil law perspectives. The Norwegian and Greenlandic authorities offer their own JOA models, which are suitable within these jurisdictions. The AIPN JOA model form 2012 issued a short guidance note for civil law issues. Although this initiative was very much welcomed by the industry, it was not possible to provide extensive guidance on every detail and provide advice on exactly what your JOA provisions should look like at the very end. Therefore, the main issue for the petroleum industry is the fact that large upstream investments could be done based on a contract that might not be enforceable in a civil law jurisdiction. This book analyses the main issues that a JOA might face within seventeen civil jurisdictions with large oil and gas reserves or at least large potential (including but not limited to Angola, Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Holland, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Mozambique, Norway, Russia, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, etc.). It is a unique and valuable publication for practitioners, legal counsel, businessmen, and academics involved in the upstream industry around the world.

This comprehensive resource provides a complete draft of a Model Joint Venture Agreement based on a hypothetical fact pattern. Also, provided is incisive commentary explaining the meaning and function of each provision. A checklist is included addressing the issues surrounding the formation of the Joint Venture and the ongoing legal rights and obligations between the parties. The Agreement plus other related documents are replicated on a companion CD-ROM and ready for tailoring to your transaction.