Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire offshore boundary dispute may go to arbitration

Offshore staff

LONDON –The government of Ghana has advised Tullow Oil that the government of Côte d'Ivoire has applied for arbitration with the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea regarding the offshore boundary dispute between the countries.

A decision on whether to hear the dispute by ITLOS should come before the end of April 2015.

The provisional measures application includes a request that ITLOS orders Ghana to suspend ongoing exploration and exploitation operations in the disputed area in which theTEN project is situated until ITLOS gives its full verdict which is expected toward the end of 2017.

Tullow says its external counsel has the opinion that Ghana’s case supporting the current boundary is supported by international law as it follows an equidistance line. Tullow also says theTEN project continues on schedule and on budget for first oil in mid-2016.

03/02/2015