Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NOUAKCHOTT469
2006-04-20 18:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nouakchott
Cable title:  

NEW OIL AGREEMENT MAINTAINS WOODSIDE'S EXPLORATION

Tags:  BBSR ECON EFIN EINV EPET MR 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHNK #0469/01 1101807
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 201807Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5392
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0270
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0084
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0007
RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH 0234
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0184
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000469 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W; AF/EPS (A. ADLER, J. HAENI); EB/ESC/IEC (K.
RIOS); EB/CBA (D. WINSTEAD)
COMMERCE FOR 4510/IEP/ANESA/OA/PMICHELINI;
6930/ITA/MAS/MFG/OEEI/ABRICKMAN
DAKAR FOR RSCO CGRIFFIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2016
TAGS: BBSR ECON EFIN EINV EPET MR
SUBJECT: NEW OIL AGREEMENT MAINTAINS WOODSIDE'S EXPLORATION
RIGHTS; GIVES MAURITANIA LARGE UPFRONT PAYMENT AND A BIGGER
SHARE IN OIL PRICED OVER USD $55 A BARREL

REF: A. NOUAKCHOTT 00377


B. NOUAKCHOTT 00365

NOUAKCHOTT 00000469 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH LEBARON, REASON 1.4 (B),(D)

--------------
(U) Key Points
--------------

-- According to Woodside's Country Manager John Ozturgut,
both the Australian oil company and the transitional
government won in coming to a compromise: Woodside was able
to maintain its exploration rights laid out in the disputed
amendments, while the transitional government was able to get
more money in its coffers.

-- Woodside and its joint partners will give to the
Mauritanians an up-front payment of USD 100 million. The
Mauritanian government will also receive a bigger cut of the
profit from production when oil prices are at least 55 USD a
barrel.

-- The original PSCs and amendments remain in force until a
new PSC is signed. Ozturgut did not give a specific timeline
on when the new PSC will be completed but believed it will
take at least two weeks, with the USD 100 million to come
fourteen days after signing.

-- Woodside brought in an influential Qatari shaykh, Muhammad
Abdullahi Al Thani, as a mediator during their discussions in
Doha and Dubai with Colonel Fal and other Mauritanian
government representatives.

-- Ozturgut maintains that Woodside was fully prepared to go
to arbitration, but Woodside would have won there only to
lose everything on the ground, Ozturgut said.

------------
(C) Comments
------------

-- We think the big winner in the settlement is the
Mauritanian government. With oil now above 70 USD a barrel
for light crude, they will get a larger share of profits.
But, equally important, they scored a major public opinion
victory.

-- If Woodside won anything, it was in protecting their
interests in future oil and gas production in Mauritania.
Woodside also has established close ties with Al Thani, an
important player in the regional oil game. Expect Woodside
to collaborate with Al Thani in future Woodside energy plays
in the broader Middle East.

End Key Points and Comments.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000469

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W; AF/EPS (A. ADLER, J. HAENI); EB/ESC/IEC (K.
RIOS); EB/CBA (D. WINSTEAD)
COMMERCE FOR 4510/IEP/ANESA/OA/PMICHELINI;
6930/ITA/MAS/MFG/OEEI/ABRICKMAN
DAKAR FOR RSCO CGRIFFIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2016
TAGS: BBSR ECON EFIN EINV EPET MR
SUBJECT: NEW OIL AGREEMENT MAINTAINS WOODSIDE'S EXPLORATION
RIGHTS; GIVES MAURITANIA LARGE UPFRONT PAYMENT AND A BIGGER
SHARE IN OIL PRICED OVER USD $55 A BARREL

REF: A. NOUAKCHOTT 00377


B. NOUAKCHOTT 00365

NOUAKCHOTT 00000469 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH LEBARON, REASON 1.4 (B),(D)

--------------
(U) Key Points
--------------

-- According to Woodside's Country Manager John Ozturgut,
both the Australian oil company and the transitional
government won in coming to a compromise: Woodside was able
to maintain its exploration rights laid out in the disputed
amendments, while the transitional government was able to get
more money in its coffers.

-- Woodside and its joint partners will give to the
Mauritanians an up-front payment of USD 100 million. The
Mauritanian government will also receive a bigger cut of the
profit from production when oil prices are at least 55 USD a
barrel.

-- The original PSCs and amendments remain in force until a
new PSC is signed. Ozturgut did not give a specific timeline
on when the new PSC will be completed but believed it will
take at least two weeks, with the USD 100 million to come
fourteen days after signing.

-- Woodside brought in an influential Qatari shaykh, Muhammad
Abdullahi Al Thani, as a mediator during their discussions in
Doha and Dubai with Colonel Fal and other Mauritanian
government representatives.

-- Ozturgut maintains that Woodside was fully prepared to go
to arbitration, but Woodside would have won there only to
lose everything on the ground, Ozturgut said.

--------------
(C) Comments
--------------

-- We think the big winner in the settlement is the
Mauritanian government. With oil now above 70 USD a barrel
for light crude, they will get a larger share of profits.

But, equally important, they scored a major public opinion
victory.

-- If Woodside won anything, it was in protecting their
interests in future oil and gas production in Mauritania.
Woodside also has established close ties with Al Thani, an
important player in the regional oil game. Expect Woodside
to collaborate with Al Thani in future Woodside energy plays
in the broader Middle East.

End Key Points and Comments.


1. (C) Woodside's Country Manager John Ozturgut told
Ambassador April 12 that the terms of agreement that Prime
Minister Boubacar described in his March 30 speech (Ref A)
were essentially accurate, but that Woodside as well gained
significant concessions. Most significantly, Woodside
retained its rights under the signed amendments for continued
exploration, and clarified the cost-recovery generally in
Woodside's favor. Ozturgut indicated that the $100 million
"bonus" is an up-front payment the transitional government
will receive and will be recovered through the life of the
project under the new structure.


2. (C) Ozturgut explained that many aspects of the old
Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) were ambiguous which
would have resulted in "white-space negotiations." For
example, the area of the bloc that would be qualified for
cost-recovery was never negotiated. Therefore, Woodside
negotiated in the new PSC cost recovery for the entire bloc
versus the exclusive exploitation area (EEA) of the

NOUAKCHOTT 00000469 002.2 OF 002


Chinguitty field.


3. (C) Woodside is also satisfied with the agreement for the
company to set a side USD 1 million per year for an
environmental fund, as Woodside will be a member of the
committee that will govern this trust. This environmental
fund will "allow for a structure of cash flows that will
enable one to see where the money goes," according to
Ozturgut. Mauritanian government officials fear that
Mauritanian fishing waters are polluted and they need help
with better management and education.


4. (C) Ozturgut gave his version of events that led to the
compromise. He said that Col. Fal had signaled that he would
be available for discussion during his February 21 trip to
Doha. Woodside called on influential Qatari shaykh, Mohamed
Abdullahi Al Thani, to mediate because of his previous
interest in acquiring Mauritanian blocs and his prior
dealings with Woodside. Woodside's CEO Don Voelte had a
face-to-face meeting with Fal during the negotiations which
Ozturgut described as "a one-shot opportunity".


5. (C) According to Ozturgut, the motivation for the
transitional government's desire to resolve the dispute was
the lack of the country's cash flow and budget deficits.
However, the government got some poor advice, and other
interests pushed the government into a more extreme and
public position, to a point where discussions could no longer
continue inside Mauritania. The issue "created a life of its
own and everyone was trying to get a cut," he said.


6. (C) Ozturgut denied press reports that the four contested
amendments were declared null and void by the agreement. He
said the original PSCs and amendments remain in force until a
new PSC is signed. He did not give a specific timeline on
when the new PSC will be completed but believed it will take
at least two weeks. The USD 100 million will be paid-out
fourteen days after the new PSC has been signed.


7. (C) Ozturgut maintains that Woodside was "fully prepared
to go to arbitration and would win there, but would have lost
everything on the ground." He added, "the Mauritanians never
would find a middle ground, and in the end would have
exercised their sovereign right by putting this into
Mauritanian courts." Woodside therefore concluded "we knew
our problems would escalate and selling a distressed asset
wouldn't be good even if it was to the Chinese."


8. (C) Ozturgut believes "Woodside has changed their
perspective" as a result of this dispute. They are
restructuring their organization by opening a regional office
in Dubai which will allow them "to better understand the
complexities of the region." They will be working with the
partners of the Woodside consortium in the upcoming weeks to
finalize the new PSC. Ozturgut acknowledges "there are still
a couple hurdles to go through."

LeBaron
LeBaron