The Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) is widely used in the petroleum industry as a contractual framework for joint ventures across different continents and standardsThe first part of this book deals with considerations prior to entering into a JOA, such as compliance with bribery laws; standards, practices and procedures across the petroleum industry; enforceability of JOAs and understanding decommissioning obligations. The second part focusses on key clauses within any JOA covering topics including health and safety considerations; liability and insurance; and control of operations and expenditures.This is a unique publication dedicated to analysing all of these key practical issues faced by oil and gas companies in different parts of the world in negotiating and implementing a JOA in a single book publication.

Joint operating agreements (JOA) are well-accepted standard agreements in the oil and gas industry. The basic aim of a JOA is to regulate the relationship between the parties to the joint venture: the operator and the non-operators. The former is responsible for performing the operations on the behalf of the consortium, while the latter share in the costs of the joint venture. The main goal of the consortium is to provide joint operations to share the risks and costs of such an enterprise. Exclusive operations, by contrast, provide for independent operations rather than joint operations. If these independent operations are successful, the ultimate consequence is the creation of a sub-consortium with different rules and parties; that is why this provision is so complex. There are no standard JOA models presenting clear and safe guidance on how to structure and implement independent operations. For example, it is unclear how the parties decide whether and how these will affect the joint operations; what the consequences are if the operator for the joint operations refuses to be the operator for the exclusive operations; what happens should the government reject such a proposal (if the government is involved); what this provision should look like if a national oil company is a partner; and which provisions of the main JOA should apply to the exclusive operations. This 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. It begins by explaining what exclusive operations are, the rationale (including pros and cons) behind them, and the parties to which they will be of interest. It goes on to conduct the most extensive practical analysis available on the market, with over 10 JOAs analysed from all regions of the world, together with historical models that are no longer available for consultation. It then compares how joint development zones and unit operating agreements deal with exclusive operations, as they share the same concept as a JOA, but with parties from different blocs or jurisdictions. It finally provides clear guidance on international best practices and their main flaws, along with suggestions for existing and future JOAs. In short, it offers a complete analysis of the most complex clause of the JOA, from its concept to its final implications. International oil companies, independents, national oil companies, consultants, legal advisers and consultants will be interested to learn how they could perfect their JOAs and understand the risks and issues that they might face in the future.

The Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) model form joint operating agreement (JOA) was first issued in 1990 and has undergone a number of subsequent revisions. It is the most widely-used (although not always the most liked) joint operating agreement in international conventional oil and gas projects today. This book offers a pragmatic, detailed clause-by-clause review of the most recent (2012) version of the conventional petroleum AIPN JOA. Each clause is analysed in depth by reference to: (1) a statement of what the clause says; (2) a summary of the intended meaning of the clause; and (3) observations on how the clause tends to be modified in practice and might be improved. The book also analyses the major appendices of the AIPN JOA, including the accounting procedure and the lifting procedures. This book is written by experienced practitioners who together have many years of knowledge and understanding in redrafting, negotiating and applying the AIPN JOA. It will be invaluable to legal representatives, financiers, commercial managers, operational personnel and government parties who are dealing with the AIPN JOA, whether for the first time or from a position of relative familiarity.

Over the past decade, upstream activities have increased significantly in Brazil. However, companies that succeed in finding oil or gas are faced with a myriad of questions to consider. Can they export their hydrocarbons? Do they have the necessary infrastructure in place? Do they need to build this? If so, how? Can they refine their products in Brazil? What is the market for those products? What regulation is involved? How can they reach the final consumer in the petrol station? This practical new handbook aims to provide the answers to each of these questions. A companion to Brazilian Upstream Oil and Gas, the book features chapters by highly respected Brazilian and international professionals, including experts from Baker Botts, Pinheiro Neto, Vieira Rezende, Veirano Advogados and Machado Meyer. Their insights offer reliable guidance for international investors - and the lawyers assisting them - when considering investment in Brazil, particularly for those who are unfamiliar with the country's legal system. In combination with Brazilian Upstream Oil and Gas, this book will provide essential knowledge for any reader in understanding petroleum law and regulation in Brazil, from the field to the petrol station.