Africa

Advising States, National Oil Companies and Private Entities

Curtis has a well-known tradition of advising states and their national oil companies globally, and has key clients in sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb. The firm also has substantial experience representing privately owned entities in emerging markets in Africa.

The Curtis team is particularly active in the upstream petroleum industry, advising energy ministries and national oil corporations in a range of areas, handling regulatory, contract and dispute resolution, notably in international arbitration. The team has excellent knowledge of developments in the sector, having negotiated on behalf of ministries and national companies with most of the world’s major international oil companies.

REGULATORY AND ADVISORY

Curtis has deep experience in Africa’s key industry sectors, including oil and gas, mining, finance and infrastructure, and is internationally recognized for advising governments on their contentious and non-contentious tax issues, production sharing agreements and exploration agreements.

Our attorneys have advised on the drafting of laws and regulations and the design and drafting of the form contracts used in a number of countries in Africa, including, for example, exploration and production sharing agreements (“EPSAs”) in North Africa.

The firm is able to draw on Curtis’ experience gained in participating in intergovernmental discussions relating to the design of contract forms, the implementation of sector reforms and has advised African countries on the design and development best practices in hydrocarbon regime.

INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION

Curtis has handled several of the largest international arbitrations in history. We have achieved some high profile successes for African clients, with recent victories in the gold-mining and commodities sectors as well as oil and gas.

In order to avoid conflicts, Curtis does not represent any of the major oil companies in oil and gas disputes. Both in the advisory work and in litigation, the Curtis team has dealt with a broad range of technical, financial and legal issues that arise in upstream projects in the petroleum industry.

Offices Related To Our Africa Focus

Much of the firm’s work in Anglophone Africa is done from its London office and in Francophone Africa from Paris. They have the benefit of an international team of attorneys with broad and deep experience gained in other oil-producing countries in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia, in cooperation with a network of local counsel.