HOUSTON - ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) today announced it has filed for arbitration under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) against Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the Venezuela state oil company, for contractual compensation related to the Petrozuata and Hamaca heavy crude oil projects.
ICC arbitration is a separate and independent legal action from the investment treaty arbitration against the government of Venezuela, which is pending before an arbitral tribunal under the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement for Investment Disputes (ICSID).
In September 2013, the ICSID tribunal ruled that Venezuela unlawfully expropriated ConocoPhillips' significant oil investments. The arbitration process to determine compensation owed by Venezuela under the investment treaty for ConocoPhillips' expropriated investments is progressing as planned.
"By filing ICC arbitration against PDVSA, we are pursuing contractual remedies that are available to us," said Janet Langford Kelly, senior vice president, Legal, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. "In addition, we continue to look forward to a favorable outcome in the final stage of our ICSID arbitration."
In the early 1990s, in order to induce foreign investments in its heavy oil projects in the Orinoco Belt, Venezuela created a new fiscal framework that applied specifically to these projects. Relying on these terms,
ConocoPhillips helped Venezuela develop the Petrozuata, Hamaca and Corocoro projects with its industryleading technology and substantial long-term investments.
However, in the summer of 2007, the government expropriated ConocoPhillips' investments in their entirety without paying compensation.
--- # # # ---
About ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips is the world’s largest independent E&P company based on production and proved reserves. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ConocoPhillips had operations and activities in 27 countries, $58 billion in annualized revenue, $122 billion of total assets, and approximately 19,200 employees as of June 30, 2014. Production from continuing operations, excluding Libya, averaged 1,543 MBOED for the six months ended June 30, 2014, and proved reserves were 8.9 billion BOE as of Dec. 31, 2013. For more information, go to https://www.conocophillips.com/
Contacts
Daren Beaudo (media)
281-293-2073
daren.beaudo@conocophillips.com
Sidney J. Bassett (investors)
212-207-1996
sid.bassett@conocophillips.com
Vladimir R. dela Cruz (investors)
212-207-1996
v.r.delacruz@conocophillips.com
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE "SAFE HARBOR" PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIESLITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
This news release includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events, such as anticipated revenues, earnings, business strategies, competitive position or other aspects of our operations or operating results or the industries or markets in which we operate or participate in general. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forwardlooking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may prove to be incorrect and are difficult to predict such as oil and gas prices; operational hazards and drilling risks; potential failure to achieve, and potential delays in achieving expected reserves or production levels from existing and future oil and gas development projects; unsuccessful exploratory activities; unexpected cost increases or technical difficulties in constructing, maintaining or modifying company facilities; international monetary conditions and exchange controls; potential liability for remedial actions under existing or future environmental regulations or from pending or future litigation; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets; general domestic and international economic and political conditions, as well as changes in tax, environmental and other laws applicable to ConocoPhillips’ business and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting ConocoPhillips’ business generally as set forth in ConocoPhillips’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We caution you not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which are only as of the date of this news release or as otherwise indicated, and we expressly disclaim any responsibility for updating such information.