This innovative book explores the legal character of petroleum licences, a key vehicle governing the relationship between oil companies and their host states. Examining the issue through the lens of legal culture, it illustrates why some jurisdictions exert strong state control and others only minimal.Critically investigating the nature of a petroleum licence, the book analyses whether it is a mere administrative right, a contract or something more akin to property rights. Chapters examine recent developments, such as the UK's strategy of maximizing economic recovery and the opposition to drilling for oil in Norway and Australia. Outside of Western petroleum jurisdictions, the book also explores several long-established jurisdictions including Russia and Mexico, as well as emerging jurisdictions, such as China and Uganda. Taking a contextual and system-oriented approach, it reveals the preconditions of the petroleum licence regime and offers a critical insight into the reasons behind alterations to the terms of the licences. Encompassing a wide variety of legal cultures and experiences, this thought-provoking book will prove to be a valuable resource for academics and students of energy law, particularly those with an interest in state regulation. It will also provide useful insights for industry-based practitioners.

This timely book analyses the most significant contemporary developments and trends in property law, including the concept of property rights, the role of property law and property rights in society, and the values they enhance. It examines the effect of property rights on social, economic and cultural development and vice versa, considering the impact of phenomena such as technological innovation, digitalisation and blockchain technology, changes in social and economic organisation and globalisation. Featuring contributions from top international scholars in the field, chapters explain the variety of property rights found in most legal systems and how these develop in relation to social needs and available resources. The book discusses the current transition of property from mainly physical objects to intangible values in the form of, for example, intellectual property rights, and the impacts this is having on the law, democracy and free speech. Other prominent issues tackled by the book include the organisation of registries for property rights, models for managing public property and the influence of new property forms on family and inheritance law. An essential read for scholars and students of property law, including intellectual property, the book will also be of interest to those working in family law, law and technology and commercial law whose research intersects with property rights.