Force majeure Claim Based on COVID-19 in ‎LNG Sales Contracts

Document Type : ISI

Authors

1 PhD Student in Private Law, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, ‎Tehran, Iran

2 Accociated Professor, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, ‎Iran

Abstract

Abstract
The global emergence of the coronavirus called COVID-19 is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The outbreak of this disease has caused problems in various areas of contracts. One of these areas is the energy sector and LNG sales contracts, which due to the restraining measures of various governments, has faced a decrease in demand and an increase in contractual concerns about the implementation of obligations in existing LNG purchase and sale contracts, especially gas and oil supplies. There are differing views on whether the COVID-19 is an instance of force majeure. It seems that in the first place, this disease and its consequences can appear as a force majeure and meet its standards, but there are principles such as the principle of sanctity of contracts and the existence of capacities such as the condition of receiving or paying and deviating from the destination. In LNG sales contracts, it can lead to managing the consequences of the virus and challenge the force majeure claim threin.
 

Keywords

References

  1. منابع

    الف) فارسی

    1. داراب‌پور، محراب؛ مرجان فاضلی (1395). «بررسی اعتبار شرط دریافت یا پرداخت در قراردادهای بین‌المللی خرید و فروش گاز طبیعی». فصلنامة تحقیقات حقوقی، دورة نوزدهم، شمارة 74، ص142-117. در:

    https://lawresearchmagazine.sbu.ac.ir/article_56350.html  (5 دی 1401)

    1. دانایی، کیمیا (1396). «نظام حقوقی حاکم بر قرارداد فروش ال.ان.جی با تأکید بر جایگاه آن در زنجیرة قراردادی ال.ان.جی». رسالة دکتری، دانشکدة حقوق و علوم سیاسی، دانشگاه تهران.
    2. جواهری محمدی، حسین (1400). «امکان‌سنجی تطبیق قوۀ قاهره بر شرایط حاصل از شیوع کرونا با تأکید بر رویۀ قضایی». مجلة حقوقی دادگستری، شمارة 114، ص191-159. در:https://www.noormags.ir/view/fa/articlepage/1808374/ (21 دی 1401)
    1. شریفی، سید الهام‌الدین؛ ناهید صفری (1392). «مقایسة نظریة هاردشیپ و فورس‌ماژور در اصول حقوق قراردادهای بازرگانی و اصول حقوق قراردادهای اروپایی و حقوق ایران». پژوهش­های حقوق تطبیقی، شمارة 4، ص127-107. در:

    http://ensani.ir/fa/article/335415/ (5 دی 1401)

    1. قنواتی، جلیل (1399). «مطالعة تطبیقی تأثیر کروناویروس (کووید-19) بر تعهدات». حقوق اسلامی، شمارة 64، ص46-1. در: https://www.noormags.ir/view/fa/articlepage/1676397/ (21 دی 1401)
    2. نیازآبادی، مهدی؛ نرگس انصاری (1399). «تحلیل وضعیت ناشی از شیوع ویروس کرونا ذیل معاذیر موجه عدم اجرای تعهدات قراردادی». تحقیقات حقوقی، ویژه‌نامة حقوق و کرونا، شمارة 90، ص486-459. در:

    https://www.noormags.ir/view/fa/articlepage/1685563/  (18 دی 1401)

    ب) خارجی

    7. Aizhu, Chen; Jessica Jaganathan (2020). “Exclusive: China’s Top Gas Importer PetroChina declares force majeure on Imports-Sources”. Available at:    https://www.reuters.com/article/us (Accessed 9 january 2023).

    8. AL Qurashi, Zeyad A (2005). “Renegotiation of International Petroleum Agreements”. Journal of International Arbitration, pp. 261-300. Available at:

    https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.kluwer/jia0022&div=28&id=&page= (Accessed 9 january 2023).

    9. Ason, Agnieszka; Michal Meidan (2020). “Force Majeure Notices from Chinese LNG Buyers: Prelude to a Renegotiation”? Available at:    https://www.oxfordenergy.org/wpcms/wp-content, (Accessed 9 january 2023).

    10. Berger, Klaus Peter and Daniel Behn (2020). “Force Majeure and Hardship in the Age of Corona: A Historical and Comparative Study”. McGill Journal of Dispute Resolution, vol.6, p.102. Available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3575869 (Accessed 5 january 2023).

    11. Boitout, David (2020). “The Impact of the New Coronavirus (COVID-19) on CoNntractual Obligations: Force Majeure or Hardship?”. Available at: https://www.gide.com/fr/actualites/the-impact-of-the-new-coronavirus-covid-19-on-contractual-obligations-force-majeure-or, (Accessed 5 january 2023).

    12. Christie, Konstantin; Esra Ogut (2017). “The Interplay of Force Majeure and Change of Circumstances with Dispute Resolution Clauses in Modern Long-term LNG Contracts –What Role for A Price Review Clause?”. Available at: www.ogel.org, (Accessed 9 january 2023).

    13. Delikanakis, John; Kahn, Gil (2020). “Force Majeure Clauses and the Impossible and the Impractical”. Available at: https://www.swlaw.com/publications/legal-alerts/2739, (Accessed 4 january 2023).

    14. Denison, M. J (2021). “Force Majeure Clauses in LNG Sales and Purchase Agreements: How Do They Stand up During the Covid-19 Pandemic?”. Journal of World Energy Law and Business, Volume 14, Issue 2, April 2021, pp. 88–96. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/jwelb/article/14/2/88/6170972 (Accessed 8 january 2023).

    15. Farmer, Susan H.; Harry W; Sullivan, Jr (2017). “LNG Sale and Purchase Agreements”. in: Liquefied Natural Gas: The Law and Business of LNG, Paul Griffin. Third Edition, Globe Law and Business Ltd.

    16. Felix, Bate; Jessica Jaganathan (2020). “France's Total Rejects force Majeure Notice from Chinese LNG Buyer”. Reuters, Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us, Last Visited: 2020/12/27 (Accessed 5 january 2023).

    17. Firoozmand, Mahmoud Reza (2015). “Force Majeure Clause in Long-Term Petroleum Contracts: Key Issues in Drafting”. Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law, pp. 423-438. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02646811.2006.11433445 (Accessed 8 january 2023).

    18. Fontaine, M.; F. DeLy, “FORCE MAJEURE CLAUSES IN INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTS”, https://brill.com (Accessed 5 january 2023).

    19. Furmstone, M (1995). “Drafting Of Force Majeure Clauses: Some General Guidelines”. in: E McKendrick, Force Majeure and Frustration of Contracts, London: Lloyd's of London.

    20. Hermann, A (1987). Disputes Between States and Foreign Companies, in Contemporary Problemes in International Arbitration. Available at:   https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/, (Accessed 9 january 2023).

    21. Jaganathan, Jessica (2020). “Virus Outbreak Knocks four Asia-bound LNG Tankers off Course- Sources, REUTERS”. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us (Accessed 7 january 2023).

    22. Katsivela, Marel (2015). Available at: http://ulr.oxfordjournals.org, (Accessed 3 january 2023).

    23. Loyrette Nouel, Gide (2020). “The Impact of The New Coronavirus (Covid-19) on Contractual Obligations: Force Majeure Or Hardship?”. Available at:    https://www.gide.com/en/actualites, (Accessed 7 january 2023).

    24. Melis, Werner (1984). “Force Majeure and Hardship Clauses in International Commercial Contracts in View of the Practice of the ICC Court of Arbitration”. Journal of International Arbitration, Volume 1, Issue 3, pp. 213-221. Available at: https://kluwerlawonline.com/journalarticle/Journal+of+International+Arbitration/1.3/JOIA1984023 (Accessed 7 january 2023).

    25. Patterson, Rob; Shu Shu Wong (2020). “Coronavirus Brings Force Majeure Claims To LNG Contracts”. Available at: https://www.law360.com/articles/1247694/coronavirus-brings-force-majeure-claims-to-lng-contracts, (Accessed 3 january 2023).

    26. Polkinghorne, Michael (2011). “Predicting the Unpredictable: Gas Price Re-openers”. Available at: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=81e269f9-11b4-4df1-9bd5-1fd532e57ec5, (Accessed 5 january 2023).

    27. Schwenzer, I.; Schlechtriem, P (2010). Commentary on the UN Convention on The International Sale Of Goods (CISG). Fifth Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

    28. Horn, Norbert (1985). “Changes in Circumstances and the Revision of Contracts in Some European Laws and in International Law”. Available at: https://www.trans-lex.org/113700/_/horn-norbert-, (Accessed 8 january 2023).

    29. Bishop, R Doak (1998). “International Arbitration of Petroleum Disputes: The Development of a Lex Petrolea”. 23 YB Comm Arb 1131 (1998) at 1169.

    30. Crook, John (1989). “Applicable Law in International Arbitration: The Iran-US Claims Tribunal Experience”. 83 Am J Intl L 278-293. Available at:    https://www.jstor.org/stable/2202739 (Accessed 3 january 2023).

Journal Of Researches Energy Law Studies
Volume 8, Issue 1
July 2022
Pages 67-89

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics