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Unit of study_
LAWS6990: Principles of Oil and Gas Law
2025 unit information
Principles of Oil and Gas Law explores the distinctive legal issues presented by oil and gas exploration and production and examines the legal and regulatory responses of oil producing states. This unit also explains the international legal principles that apply within the sector and sets the Australian experience against a broad comparative background. For the first time in 2016, this unit will be offered in the home of the North Sea oil and gas industry, Stavanger, Norway. This unit will draw on the expertise of international experts in oil and gas law, as well as take advantage of our location with excursions to the Petroleum Museum, oil companies and government. On completion of the unit, participants should be able: to explain the specific legal problems posed by the physical characteristics of oil and gas; to identify different approaches to the resolution of those problems, their strengths and weaknesses; to identify and analyse the special issues presented by offshore oil and gas resources on the one hand, and onshore resources on the other; to compare the approaches of different states to the exploitation of their oil and gas resources, and the different legal vehicles used to support and control the involvement of private capital is involved in this task; to identify the problems that may arise at each stage of the exploration, production and disposition of oil and gas, and to analyse their legal solutions; to outline the legal approach to any special environmental and occupational safety problems posed by oil and gas operations; and to consider how legal regimes for oil and gas exploration and production may be evaluated in terms of political and legal risk.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney Law School
| Study level | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | Law |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. explain the specific legal problems posed by the physical characteristics of oil and gas
- LO2. critically evaluate the different approaches to the resolution of those problems, including their strengths and weaknesses
- LO3. compare and contrast the special issues presented by offshore oil and gas resources on the one hand, and onshore resources on the other
- LO4. critically analyse the approaches of different states to the exploitation of their oil and gas resources, and the different legal vehicles used to support and control the involvement of private capital which is involved in this task
- LO5. identify the problems that may arise at each stage of the exploration, production and disposition of oil and gas, and devise appropriate legal solutions to address them
- LO6. outline the legal approach to any special environmental and occupational safety problems posed by oil and gas operations
- LO7. interrogate how legal regimes for oil and gas exploration and production may be evaluated in terms of political and legal risk.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
There are no availabilities for this year.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Intensive July 2025
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Block mode | Norway |
Outline unavailable
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| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Intensive July 2023
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Block mode | Norway |
Outline unavailable
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Find your current year census dates
Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
Important enrolment information
Departmental permission requirements
If you see the ‘Departmental Permission’ tag below a session, it means you need faculty or school approval to enrol. This may be because it’s an advanced unit, clinical placement, offshore unit, internship or there are limited places available.
You will be prompted to apply for departmental permission when you select this unit in Sydney Student.
Read our information on departmental permission.
Additional advice
Students enrolled in the Master of International Law or Graduate Diploma in International Law may enrol in either LAWS6990 Principles of Oil and Gas Law or LAWS6933 Global Oil and Gas Contracts and Issues, but not both.
