Because of a long time frame, irreversible and specific investments, incomplete contracts andpolitical constraints, it is generally difficult for governments to commit themselves in a credibleway to a fixed petroleum tax regime. Many controversial renegotiations and tightenings of suchsystems...

Theories of irreversible investment suggest a negative relation between investment and uncertainty,and non-linear adjustment costs open for asymmetries in the adjustment of fixed capital. We proposean econometric modelling approach to estimate and test the key predictions of modern...

Topical issues in petroleum tax design are in this chapter discussed by means of a tax model for anet income tax system (Norway) and a representative PSA regime. We analyse the entire lifecycle of a typical petroleum project, i.e., the exploration decision is included. Many petroleumtax systems...

Shortages of rigs and personnel have encouraged creativity in designing incentive contracts in thedrilling sector. In particular for oil service contracts, since those companies have the most directcontrol of drilling efficiency. A large variety of contract types are in use, including within...

The oil companies are concerned to replace the petroleum reserves they producein order to maintain their future level of activity. Booked reserves alsorepresent an important input when analysts value these companies. Many producercountries want to control their own resources, a goal which can...

In multi-party democracies, several parties usually have to join together in coalitionto form government. Many aspects of that process have been fairly fully investigated,others less so. Among the latter is the timing of the formation and announcement ofcoalitions.1While the dominant popular...