

Energy and Natural Resources Arbitration
Allen & Overy advises on high profile, high value disputes in the energy and natural resources sector, representing major international energy companies, financial institutions, State-owned entities and governments.
Working closely with our world-renowned Projects practice, we understand the complex commercial, socio-economic and regulatory environments in which our clients operate.
With an outstanding track record of helping clients avoid and resolve disputes in this sector, our expertise covers international arbitration, investment treaty arbitration, litigation, negotiation, mediation and expert determination.
A&O’s team has extensive experience of representing clients in disputes arising across the energy and natural resources sector, including oil and gas, nuclear, renewables, and mining and metals. Our expertise spans the full hydrocarbon value chain and includes advising on disputes relating to downstream joint ventures, the construction of extraction facilities, abandonment and decommissioning obligations and power projects. Our global team has extensive international experience covering Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.
We have a leading investment treaty arbitration practice and are particularly recognised as market leaders and innovators in disputes arising under the Energy Charter Treaty, having brought the first ever claim under that treaty and advised on more cases since then than any other firm.
Our market leading gas price review experts have been involved in many ground-breaking cases and our Global Co-Head of International Arbitration, Mark Levy QC, edited the world’s first textbook on the subject.
Our experience includes representing:
- South Stream Transport, a Gazprom subsidiary, in its ICC arbitration with Saipem relating to a now-cancelled pipeline project to transport gas from Russia, under the Black Sea, to various European countries. More than EUR1.5 billion was in dispute and the case was ultimately settled.
- BG and Reliance Industries in an UNCITRAL arbitration (valued at more than USD5bn) against the Government of India, regarding two oil and gas Production Sharing Contracts. Our clients have had two Indian Supreme Court judgments issued in their favour, and made successful challenges to the most recent final partial award in the English courts.
- More than 30 international investors, in 12 separate Energy Charter Treaty claims against the Kingdom of Spain, concerning investments in renewable energy projects. We have so far achieved significant damages awards for our clients in six of these arbitrations, with others still pending.
- The Islamic Republic of Pakistan in defending two related UNCITRAL investment treaty arbitrations concerning gas import operations. Claims were dismissed entirely and the investors ordered to pay 90% of Pakistan’s costs. Challenge proceedings brought by the investors were defeated.
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News and insights

Blog Post: 18 May 2023
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted resolution A/RES/77/276 (the Resolution) requesting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) render an advisory opinion on the obligations…

Publications: 02 May 2023
On March 29, 2023, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 77/276, marking a watershed moment in the global fight against climate change. The resolution requests an advisory opinion from…

Blog Post: 04 November 2022
The IEA World Energy Outlook 2022
Ahead of COP27 starting on the 6 November 2022, the International Energy Agency has released its World Energy Outlook. In light of the current global energy crisis, the WEO sheds light on how the…

Publications: 08 September 2021
UK Hydrogen Strategy - Top ten takeaways
The UK Government’s Hydrogen Strategy (the Strategy) finally landed on 17 August 2021. It was much-delayed and highly anticipated. When it arrived, it promised a hydrogen revolution: an integrated and…
Awards
- Band 1, Dispute Resolution, Global: Multi-Jurisdictional, Chambers Global 2022
- International Arbitration Firm of the Year, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific Awards 2020
- Leading firm (top tier) ranking in the “Leaders League” table for International Arbitration (Spain) 2022
Recognition
[Represents] key industry players in the energy sector, with significant expertise in disputes relating to gas-price reviews and arising under the Energy Chartered Treaty.
Chambers Global 2022, International Arbitration, Global Market Leaders
Allen & Overy is an exceptional magic circle firm with an extensive global presence in key jurisdictions worldwide… Notable expertise in the construction, energy and natural resources sectors.
Chambers Global 2022, Dispute Resolution: Multi-Jurisdictional
Activity in high-profile ECT cases showcases its capacity to coordinate complex investor-state mandates between its breadth of offices.
Chambers Europe 2022, International Arbitration
Demonstrates notable expertise in construction, energy and natural resources.
Chambers Global 2019, Dispute Resolution
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International Arbitration Review
Recent developments and emerging trends in international arbitration law and policy