West African Unitisation Dispute

This dispute concerned the re-determina­tion of a substantial oil field in West Africa. Within the re-determination procedures there was provision for referring disput­ed matters to an expert who had, in two separate reports, submitted its decision on the matters. The claimant challenged both decisions. The arbitration related to the validity of those challenges.

SLR were appointed to act as a testifying expert for the respondents. The SLR expert, who delivered his opinion in both written and oral form, was supported by the wider team on specific technical matters relating to the oil in place calculation methods.

The work also drew on the team’s wider experi­ence of negotiating re-determination procedures, applying them operation­ally and industry custom and practice. 

The field in question was substantial and the financial impact of the re-determina­tion correspondingly large. The specialist technical knowledge of the expert and the team was essential in pre­senting clear and compelling representa­tions to the tribunal.

The tribunal ruled in favour of our client in two separate arbitration hearings.