Mature Province

1. Synopsis of the Project 

Mature fields and marginal accumulations are essential elements in the life cycle of an oil and gas project. While there is production in the given field, during this period the relevant stakeholders are taking their economic benefits. However, whenever such production is no longer able to proceed due to economic, technical and/or other factors, then the life of the project is approaching its end. In this case, health, safety, and environmental issues come to play a critical role as the area should be restored to its original status (especially with regards to the laws regulating decommissioning, clearance of any artificial object and safety of navigation as the case might be). There are several initiatives to extend the life cycle of such fields and marginal accumulations. At the same time, climate change and energy transition require serious consideration about sustainable practices. This project aims to develop scholarly publications and to exchange ideas and discussions between academics, students, and professionals in the fields of law, economics, oil and gas, environment, and sustainable development. It combines the essential information about hydrocarbon developments in mature provinces and marginal accumulations but at the same time, it tackles the upcoming trends and influence of resource management and sustainable development. Therefore, the novel approach under this project would benefit young and senior experts and scholars in this field across different regions around the globe. 

2.              The Expected Outcome

The expected outcome of this research project will be through scholarly papers followed by an edited book by 2023.

Project Team:

Coordinators

Eduardo G Pereira is a professor of natural resources and energy law as a full-time, part-time, associate, adjunct, research fellow and/or visiting scholar in a number of leading academic institutions around the world (including the Siberian Federal University, University of West Indies, University of São Paulo, Strathmore University, Agostinho Neto University, University of Aberdeen and, among others).  He has been active in the oil and gas industry for more than ten years and is an international expert on joint operating agreements. His experience in this area – both academic and practical – is extensive. He has practical experience in over 40 jurisdictions covering America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Prof. Pereira concluded his doctoral thesis on oil and gas joint ventures at the University of Aberdeen. He conducted postdoctoral research at Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (University of Oxford, UK) and another postdoctoral research at the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law (University of Oslo, Norway). He is also a managing editor for the African Journal on Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Law and an associate editor of OGEL. He is also the author and editor of several leading oil and gas textbooks. Further information about his profile and publications can be found at: www.eduardogpereira.com

Hirdan Katarina de Medeiros Costa is lawyer, consultant and professor. She has been working in energy sector since 2004. Hirdan is bachelor in Law, her undergrad background is Petroleum Law from the University of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil). At that time, she wrote her monograph on Joint operating agreements in the Brazilian oil upstream sector where she explored international model of contracts in the Brazilian reality after the market opened for foreign investor in 1997. Also, she have been published papers published in Events, Conferences Books and International Journals. Moreover, she has a Master Degree on Energy Issues from the University of Sao Paulo and her thesis focused on the Regulation of Natural Gas. She is PhD on Energy Issues and her thesis focused in Oil Brazilian royalties system. She is Postdoctor in sustainability from School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities at University of Sao Paulo. She holds an MS in Law from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA. She was Visiting Researcher at University of Oklahoma College of Law, Norman (2008-2009). Also, she was Visiting Researcher PRH04 / ANP / MCTI / IEE / USP (2013-2016).  Currently, Hirdan is Collaborating Professor at Energy Program, University of Sao Paulo’s Institute of Energy and Environment ( PPGE / IEE / USP ), Coordinator of Projects 21 and 42 of CEPID / SHELL E & P Brazil / FAPESP Energy Policy and Economics Program, Deputy Director of CEPID / SHELL E & P Brazil / FAPESP Energy Policy and Economics Program,  Postdoctoral Fellow from Energy Program at University of Sao Paulo.

Collaborators:

Dr Eddy Wifa is an Energy Law lecturer at the School of Law, University of Aberdeen. He has a Masters in Oil and Gas Law with Distinction and a PhD Marine Renewable Energy Risk Governance both from the University of Aberdeen. His research expertise includes offshore energy health, safety and environmental regulation across several jurisdictions, decommissioning, regulatory theories, energy and natural resource governance, energy transition and energy justice. He has advised governments and has been a part of several research projects. He has several publications and has spoken at several conferences and events. He is currently a member of the Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law, The Centre for Energy Transition and the Director of the African Natural Resource and Energy Law Network (ANREL).

Edmilson Moutinho dos Santos holds a degree in Economics (1990) and in Electrotechnical Engineering (1988) from the University of São Paulo. Master’s degrees in Energy Management and Policy (University of Pennsylvania; 1993) and in Energy Systems Planning (State University of Campinas; 1992). PhD in Energy Economics from the French Petroleum Institute and Université de Bourgogne (1997). He is currently an associate professor at the Institute of Energy and Environment of the University of São Paulo (IEE-USP). Since January 2016 he coordinates the Energy Economics and Policy Program at the Research Center for Gas Innovation [RCGI/USP – Center for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Dissemination, CEPID, jointly founded by FAPESP and SHELL BRASIL (FAPESP Proc. 2014/50279-4)]; and, since January 2017, coordinates the FINEP Project (num. 01.14.0215.00) / FUSP (num. 3060) – Support to the R&D Network on Unconventional Gas in Brazil (REDE TEMTICA GASBRAS). Since November 2017 he chairs the Postgraduate Committee of the Institute of Energy and Environment at USP. Develops research and teaching activities with emphasis on Energy Economics and Policies. He acts as an independent advisor and consultant to research and development organizations, companies, governmental and non-governmental agencies. He is the coordinator of the Human Resources Training Program in Oil and Natural Gas of IEE-USP (PRH-04, with financial support from the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels – ANP -, and Petrobras). He also coordinates the International Academic Cooperation Agreement between IEE/USP and IFP SCHOOL, France. Representative of IEE/USP and Member of the Management Committee of the Fellowship Program maintained between the University of São Paulo and Imperial College London (under sponsorship of SHELL BRASIL): Fostering capability in gas futures research via PhD scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships. President 2014/2016 of the Brazilian Association for Energy Studies AB3E; and President 2011/2012 of the Brazilian Society for Energy Planning SBPE.

Dr. Thomas Kojo Stephens obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy (Highest Honours) from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, which he attended as a Bill Gates Scholar, graduating Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa. He obtained his LLB from the University of Ghana, Legon, QCL from the Ghana School of Law, and LLM from Cornell University, Ithaca, USA. He attended the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK as a Commonwealth Scholar and obtained a PhD in Petroleum Law, Policy and Regulation. He is a Senior Partner at Stobe Law and the Head of the Transactional, Oil and Gas Practice, as well as the Consultancy Group of the firm. He advises numerous entities in the petroleum sector and serves as principal consultant for several high-profile entities. He is the jurisdictional author for several international publications in Petroleum Law and has written on different facets of the industry. He is an Advisory Board Member of the International Energy Law Advisory Group (IELAG), a Principal Trainer at the International Energy Law Training and Research Company (IELTRC), and the immediate past Vice-Chairman of Ghana’s Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), a statutory body with oversight over the use of Ghana’s petroleum revenue. 

Dr Thomas L Muinzer FRSA is Co-Director of the Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law, based at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, where he also works as a Senior Lecturer in Energy Transition Law. His teaching, research and consultancy work focuses most particularly on climate and energy decarbonisation law and policy.  He has subsidiary and intersecting interests in the sphere of constitutional law, human rights protections, and the safe and responsible governance of energy and the environment. Thomas is the author of the first monograph on the world’s first example of national framework climate legislation: Climate and Energy Governance for the UK Low Carbon Transition: The Climate Change Act 2008 (Palgrave: UK, 2018).  He is also Contributing Editor to the first book-length study of national Climate Change Acts from around the world:  National Climate Change Acts: The Emergence, Form and Nature of National Framework Climate Legislation (Hart/Bloomsbury: UK, 2021).

Alicia Elias-Roberts is an academic who teaches Oil and Gas Law and International Environmental Law at the University of the West Indies (UWI). She is a graduate from the University of Guyana, where she obtained a LLB Law Degree. She is also the recipient of a Masters of Law (BCL) from the University of Oxford in the UK and a LLM in Energy, Environment and Natural Resource Law from the University of Houston in Texas, USA, where she was an OAS/LASPAU scholar. Alicia is currently a PhD student at Queen’s University where her research is focused on “Environmental Challenges in Offshore Energy Development.” Her current research investigates the environmental laws in various Commonwealth Caribbean jurisdictions. Alicia is the former Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Law at the UWI St Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago. She has over 20 years’ experience as an energy and environmental law legal consultant. She was previously a Legal Treaty Consultant with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and has done legal consultancies for UNAIDS, ILO, PAHO, and various governments in the Commonwealth Caribbean. She has provided expert legal advice in the areas of conservation and biodiversity law, multilateral environmental agreements, maritime law, oil and gas law, treaty law, and procurement law, to name a few. She is an attorney-at-law, admitted to practice in New York, USA, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. 

Thaiz da Silva Vescovi Chedid is a lawyer, consultant, and professor. Post-Doctorate student in Energy from the Graduate Program in Energy of the University of São Paulo (PPGE/USP). Ph.D. in Energy from the University of São Paulo USP in collaboration with Georgetown University Law School. Master in Fundamental Rights and Guarantees by the Vitoria Law School. Researcher at the Research Center for Gas Innovation, RCGI/FAPESP/Shell, at the University of São Paulo. Publishing author of work focused on international and comparative energy law, brazilian and UNCLOS petroleum royalties, climate change and carbon capture, Brazilian infrastructure and energy contracts as also other energy themes related. Email: thaizvescovi@hotmail.com 

Dr Dickson E. Omukoro is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, University of Port Harcourt, and the Assistant Coordinator of the Diploma in Law Programme of the College of Continuing Education of the University. He holds a PhD in Energy and Environmental Law from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom and a
Master of Laws degree (LL.M) – in Oil and Gas Law (with distinction) from the same University. His area of interest includes energy and natural resources law;
environmental law; sustainable development; public and private partnerships in infrastructural development; international commercial law; decommissioning; and renewable energy law.

Allan Ingelson is a professor in the Faculty of Law and Haskayne School of Business & Executive Director of the Canadian Institute of Resources Law and at the University of Calgary. He holds Bachelor of Science, Juris Doctor and LL.M. degrees and was admitted to the Law Society of Alberta in 1991. Professor Ingelson has published numerous articles in a variety of Canadian and international scholarly energy and environmental law journals. He is the General Editor of the Canada Energy Law Service published by Carswell (Toronto) He has instructed courses and workshops on energy regulation, environmental law in the energy sector, oil and gas law, international petroleum transactions, renewable energy and environmental impact assessment and has made invited presentations at universities in Canada, the United States, Peru, the Republic of Congo, China, India, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Norway and Qatar.