30 August 2012 | CIL Seminar Series
The International Legal Implications of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill: Liability, Regulation and Public Perceptions
Introduction
The oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and Montara in the Timor Sea were dramatic illustrations of the risks to life and environment that accompany oil and gas development. Since then, there has been a robust reaction by governments to these and other, smaller oil spills (Brazil, Nigeria). Efforts have been made to develop an international forum for regulation of environmental and safety matters and the EU is planning new legislation on this subject.
In this talk Professor Peter Cameron reviewed the legal and regulatory impacts of the oil spill outside the US, and asked (1) whether the reactions are proportionate to the problem and (2) whether governments in the Asia-Pacific region need to do more.
About the Speaker
Professor Peter Cameron is Director of the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee and Professor of International Energy Law and Policy. He is also the Associate Dean for Research in the Graduate School of Natural Resources Law, Policy and Management. He is a Professorial Fellow of the Law School at the University of Edinburgh, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and Board Member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators. He has been an expert witness in a number of cases involving petroleum agreements and taxation issues. He has extensive international experience of drafting oil, gas and energy laws and contracts. Over a period of more than 20 years, Prof Cameron has been a regular adviser to the World Bank, the EBRD, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and many governments in developing countries. He was the leader of several European Commission funded projects aimed at promoting the signature and ratification of the Energy Charter Treaty. He has been a legal adviser or team leader on projects concerning petroleum legislation and contracts, EU gas and electricity legislative reform and regulatory issues for governments, national oil companies, international organisations and private oil companies. Some of them are the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Commission, the Energy Charter Secretariat, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, and various agencies of the United Nations (UN ESCAP, UN CTC and UNDP and UN ECE), as well as private companies and investors, such as BP, Shell, Goldman Sachs, Distrigas and Gasunie.
Presentation
To download Prof Cameron’s presentation in PDF format, click here.
Article
“Liability for Catastrophic Risk in the Oil and Gas Industry” by Prof Peter Cameron, published in 2012 IELR, Issue 6.
