Dentons ACAS-Law provides representation and advice on every aspect of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and is involved in obtaining accreditation with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (N.N.P.C.) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (D.P.R.) for oil companies, traders and financiers, providing consultation and advisory services on tax implications, obtaining necessary consents for assignments of leases and negotiating and preparing related contracts. The firm also advises on licensing in accordance with Nigerian petroleum legislation, and insurance in the Oil and Gas Industry.

We also assists clients with the negotiation and preparation of various oil industry agreements, such as Petroleum Joint Ventures, Joint Operating Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, Production Sharing Contracts, Risk Service Contracts etc. The firm also represents clients in oil and gas litigations, arbitration and other forms of hearing proceedings before courts, tribunals, specialised panels of enquiries etc. Our experience in this area has often involved defending objections at hearings in respect of proposed oil pipelines, representing clients in inquiries into environmental and other accidents and occasionally resolving communal disputes or oppositions.

Insights

An overview of the Midstream Gas Flare Regulations 2023

July 25, 2023

Nigeria: The Midstream Gas Flare Regulations, 2023 (the "Midstream Regulations") were issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (the "Authority") in March 2023 and in exercise of the powers conferred on the Authority by section 33(y) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 (the "PIA"). We highlight below key provisions of the Midstream Regulations as well as the validity of the Midstream Regulations in view of the extant Flare Gas (Prevention of Waste and Pollution) Regulations 2018 (the "Flare Gas Regulations").

President's directive on regulatory oversight: Addressing ambiguities in the implementation of the PIA

July 17, 2023

Nigeria: It has been almost 2 years since the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (“PIA”), which overhauled the legal and regulatory regime of the Nigerian petroleum industry (“Industry”). Given the extensive changes introduced to the Industry by the PIA, it is not surprising that the implementation of certain provisions of the PIA have led to ambiguity and overlap in the functions of the regulators in the Industry.

Regulating a deregulated industry: New imperatives for regulators in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector

June 30, 2023 (Updated on July 10, 2023)

Nigeria: A major reform introduced by the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 (the “PIA”) is the deregulation of the pricing regime for the sale of petroleum products in Nigeria. This is because the PIA requires wholesale and retail prices of petroleum products to be determined by unrestricted free market pricing conditions.

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