International Oil & Gas Law
The Rua people of Ruritania have approached you for advice. They have asked you to advise generally but have made clear that they specifically require advice on ALL the following issues:
A.On the basis that the Ruritainian Government is claiming the plains area as ‘terra nullius’, what would the Rua need to prove in order to claim the area under ‘native title’? What issues could potentially arise?
B.Assuming the Rua claim for native title is successful, what type of agreement would be the most appropriate for the Rua to enter into with a multinational oil company for the development of its oil reserves? How should it decide which oil company to work with? Ensure you give reasons for your choice(s).
C.Ruritania has no environmental laws particularly pertaining to the oil and gas industry as it has previously not needed any, but the Rua people are aware that a large oil development could adversely affect the environment, so they also ask for advice on the environmental issues that it will need to consider in order to ensure that any development of the oil reserves is carried out with minimal disruption to the environment.
