Association of International Petroleum Negotiators - 2010 Spring Conference

The theme of AIPN's Conference is "Where to Now? Current Events and Future Trends in the World's Hydrocarbon Hotspots." The program will provide an outlook on what is to come in the energy industry:

• A focus on new regulations and legislation
• Recent discoveries that underscore why various regions continue to attract interest
• Can foreign investment climate be expected to improve and what changes might be expected
• A report on current and future trends in the new upstream frontiers

The 2010 Spring Conference will highlight developments in Brazil (pre-salt), West Africa, and Australia, established areas where increased activity is expected. In addition, countries that are attracting interest but have high political and legal barriers to entry, like Iraq and Mexico, will also be discussed. And, new international "frontiers", such as European unconventional gas, the Arctic "rush", and ultra-deep water development may provide a glimpse of where the industry could be headed over the next decade or so.

Pieter Bekker is speaking at this conference. His topic is "Law of the Sea/Arctic" and addresses such questions as, will the US join UNCLOS; what significant impact will this have on the rights of the US to develop hydrocarbon resources; and how will the development of oil and gas resources in the Arctic be organized. His presentation will kick-start the conference.