Mayer Brown Secures Landmark Victory in Singapore Arbitration Jurisdiction Challenge Case
Mayer Brown recently obtained a landmark victory on behalf of Frontier Holdings Ltd (FHL), against Petroleum Exploration (Pvt) Ltd (PEL) in proceedings before the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC). Our team worked closely with local counsel to successfully overturn an ICC arbitral tribunal's ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the dispute. This case is notable as it marks the first reported decision in Singapore where a negative jurisdictional ruling has been successfully challenged.
The case arose out of concession documents executed by the parties for the exploration of oil and gas in Pakistan. In the arbitration proceedings, the ICC arbitral tribunal ruled by a majority that it had no jurisdiction, on the basis that the concession documents provided for disputes between Foreign Working Interest Owners (FWIOs) such as FHL and Pakistan Working Interest Owners (PWIOs) such as PEL to be resolved by domestic arbitration in Pakistan, rather than international arbitration under the auspices of the ICC.
