Arbitrator rules on dispute related to offshore Guinea drilling project

An emergency arbitrator has partially granted and denied emergency relief measures requested by SCS Corp. for a dispute with multinational oil and gas exploration companies Tullow Guinea Ltd. and Dana Petroleum Ltd.

SCS, an oil and gas exploration company, filed action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas on Jan. 8, alleging Tullow and Dana had not met obligations set forth in a joint operating agreement and production sharing contract for an exploration project in offshore Guinea.

SCS requested an emergency arbitrator on Feb. 2, asking for several relief measures, including expedited discovery and accelerated time periods for filing of pleadings or counter claims.

The arbitrator granted only the request by SCS that Tullow maintain certain well plan readiness; all other emergency relief requests were denied.

The arbitrator also ruled that none of the parties in the dispute could pursue further proceedings in District Court.

With this decision, Hyperdynamics officials said that while they will continue looking into other options, they believe all avenues for ways to make Tullow and Dana drill the exploration well as planned had been exhausted.