Natural Resources

The natural resources department is divided in two areas, Oil & Gas and Mining. The partner in charge has been selected by Chambers Global 2006 and 2007 as a “Leader in Argentina” in Energy, and he has broad experience in advising major foreign and domestic clients on regulatory, contractual and corporate matters in the energy sector.
 
In the Oil & Gas area, prior to 1990, most of the upstream and downstream activity was performed by the government. After a comprehensive privatization and deregulation process which took place in the 90s, there is currently a strong presence of international players in the industry, which accounts for a 90% participation of multinational companies in the total upstream and downstream activities. Major developments have taken place in the last years in order to increase the country’s production and transportation capacity of oil and natural gas. 

CEKD is very active in providing legal support to energy companies in regulatory issues, both at federal and provincial levels, assisting clients in the negotiation of different type of contracts with producers, licensees and surface owners and advising participants in public bidding processes called by the provinces. CEKD, among other activities, has negotiated joint operating agreements, production agreements and transportation agreements and it has also been engaged in tariff and royalty determination procedures with Argentine authorities. CEKD has also been involved in providing legal advice and orientation to clients on tax and customs issues, directly related to regulations impacting the Oil & Gas industry enacted in the last four years. 

In the mining area, we have experienced a turning point after the enactment of the Mining Investment Law 24,196 in 1993, which provides for a 30-year tax stability scheme and other incentives which allowed the industry to develop immensely in the last decade, housing nowadays several of the largest mining projects in the world. 

We have advised several mining companies, throughout all stages of the projects, as from filing the mining claims, follow-up of procedures with mining departments in different provinces, discussion with surface owners and constitution of easements and rights-of-way. 

CEKD has also drafted and negotiated drilling contracts, production and joint operating agreements. Our partner in charge of the department has been very active at the Argentine Chamber of Mining Companies and often lectured on mining law issues at international conferences.