Maritime Law
This group handles all the maritime/admiralty, mining, oil and gas briefs for the firm. It is
on record that this group gives a full range of service on exploration, field development,
production, transportation and trading of gas, crude oil, refined and finished products
which include drafting/review of Production Sharing Agreements (PSC), Joint Venture
Partnerships (JV's), Farm-in Agreements, advice on acquisition of requisite permits and
licenses from Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigerian Content Development and
Monitoring Board (NCDMB), NNPC, and other government bodies/parastatals charged with the
regulation of the oil industry in Nigeria.
Recently, the firm advised an indigenous gas company on spot allocation of gas from
Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) including the Terminal Use Agreement; Gas Sales
Agreement (GSA) and the Logistics Agreement.
BD&C has also reviewed agreements for the provision of 3D seismic surveys, lease agreements
for oil rigs, purchase agreement for gas scrubbing plant. Members of this group have also at
various times been part of consortiums that have advised, raised funds for development of
some oilfields and related projects. Presently, we are legal advisers to consultants working
on a Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000.00) project with the Pipelines and Petroleum
Marketing Company (PPMC).
BD&C represented an indigenous Client who invested in a marginal field to drill four wells
and recoup its investment by operating the field. Our Client completed drilling of the wells
and major disputes broke out. The team successfully resolved the matter in which our Client
was fully compensated for the breach.
Recently, the firm advised an indigenous gas company on spot allocation of gas from Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) including the Terminal Use Agreement; Gas Sales Agreement (GSA) and the Logistics Agreement.
As regards maritime law and admiralty matters, the group has vast knowledge and contacts within this area of law. BD&C has handled the arrest and release of a few ships in Nigerian waters, mediated between cargo owners and ship owners, the release of cargo owners' goods after there was a grounding which caused delays in delivery of the said goods. Handled issues of maritime lien arising from the non-payment of crew wages. We have also drafted voyage and time charterparties. The firm has also advised on issues relating to general average, marine insurance, ship acquisition/registration. The Firm advised and helped a quarry negotiate community concessions and relations with host communities in one of the south west states. The Firm also advised a company on the Mining License obtained by the latter for their operations. We also vetted a sale agreement between the OEM and a mining company in Jos, Plateau State for mining equipment. On electricity, BD&C was part of a consortium that advised the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) on the unbundling of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) into one power transmission company, six power generating companies (GENCOs) and nine distribution companies (DISCOs), thus giving birth to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). At present, the group is advising an indigenous power company on billing and revenue collection for a DISCO in the northern part of the country.
The Firm also litigated the payment of approximately N800 million naira to our client (a Bank) for financing the importation and installation of prepaid electricity meters in 2009.