浅谈挪威国家石油公司在尼日利亚的一项诉讼案

Statoil's Nigeria lawsuit

挪威国家石油公司(Statoil)在尼日利亚正陷入一场法律诉讼,被诉巨额赔偿。类似案例近年来在中资公司中也有发生。从该案例可以看到,国际油气业务收购中一定要做好方方面面的尽职调查,划清卖方历史责任;在新项目开发中,不要签署独家代理协议,如果需要,只签署非排他性一事一议的代理服务合同。

Statoil and BP formed a strategic alliance in 1990 to develop new oil and gas business internationally.The Alliance was terminated in 1999 and Statoil took over BP's Nigerian oil assets. In 2009 John Abebe.Chairman of Inducon Nigeria Limited,filed a lawsuit against Statoil to claim 1.5 percent of Statoil's net profit accruing from its Nigeria oil blocks as compensation for him as a consultant to help BP/Statoil acquire Nigerian oil blocks.Statoil will suffer a big loss if the ongoing lawsuit is successful.From the case we see how important it is to conduct exhaustive due diligence to clarify a seller's historical liability in international oil asset purchasing and avoid signing any sole agency agreement in new business development.