A former member of OPEC (1975 – 1995), Gabon, unlike some of its neighbors, has had working energy-related laws on its book for decades. Almost half of Gabon’s GDP is comprised of oil and gas production. Gabon’s national regulatory framework is dominated by its Mining Code and the Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Hydrocarbons.
The Mining Code is typical of other central African natural gas-related regulations, in that the government has vested ownership in all oil and gas rights in Gabon. In terms of exploration, there must be a 10% minimum state participation interest and a 5% minimum royalty payment. Law No 14/82 (1983) established the Exploration and Production Sharing Contracts that govern all natural has E&P participants in the country. |
