International Petroleum Licensing Advice

Brookwood Petroleum Advisors' aim is to offer 'best practice' advice to host governments on their options and strategies for licensing acreage for oil and gas exploration and production.

Such advice may include:

• Acreage evaluation prior to offer An assessment of what acreage to offer Options for Licensing procedures Marketing of opportunities
• Setting up licensing regimes and their administration Managing licensing rounds An assessment of bids, use of mark schemes Negotiation with applicants Awards and transparency
• Post award contact and administration, including data handling
• Acreage extension under Article 76 of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention in association with Southampton Oceanography Centre

Director: John R. V. Brooks CBE

John retired from the Oil & Gas Directorate of the Department of Trade & Industry in the United Kingdom, at the end of 2000, where he was Director, Exploration & Licensing, and a Director of Atlantic Oil & Gas.

John joined the Civil Service in 1973 after spending ten years as a petroleum geologist in the oil industry. During 27 years at the DTI, John was involved in rounds of licensing from the 5^th to the 19^th and in negotiations with oil companies on work programmes and ongoing work in the licenses.

He also took an interest in play concepts and in the future hydrocarbon potential of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf and in maximising the United Kingdom’s claim to territory beyond 200 nautical miles, as provided for under Article 76 of the United Nations’ Law of the Sea Convention.

Since leaving the DTI John has worked for Trade Partners UK in advising the governments of Cambodia and Indonesia, and with other colleagues advising the governments of Lebanon and Sao Tome and Principe.

John was PETEX 2002 Chairman; he is a member of the Council of the Institute of Petroleum, a member of the UK National Committee of the World Petroleum Council, and is a member of the Advisory Council of Consort Resources Limited.

He is a senior research fellow at the University of Southampton/Southampton Oceanography Centre involved in advising on the limits of extended continental that may be claimed by coastal states as described in Article 76 of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention