Energy infrastructure sits at the centre of today’s geopolitical tensions. The war in Ukraine, sanctions regimes affecting Russia and Iran, instability in the Middle East and disrupted supply chains have placed energy projects under unprecedented pressure. Gas supply contracts, pipelines, LNG facilities and power projects increasingly operate in an environment where geopolitical decisions can abruptly disrupt long-term commercial arrangements.

This session focuses specifically on energy-sector disputes arising from these developments.

The panel are expected to discuss:

• Disruption of long-term gas and LNG supply agreements
• Infrastructure disputes arising from the Russia–Ukraine conflict
• Sanctions affecting energy projects and joint ventures
• Force majeure, hardship and price review claims in energy contracts
• Enforcement challenges involving sanctioned entities
• The role of arbitration in maintaining stability in global energy markets

Long-term cross-border investments, including infrastructure projects, are often exposed to political risk, and sovereign intervention. In some cases, these risks give rise to claims against States under investment treaties or commercial contracts. Increasingly, disputes sit at the intersection of commercial arbitration and investment arbitration.

This session examines when and how investors seek protection against State conduct, and how these claims are evolving.

The panel are expected to discuss:

• Political risk in large-scale cross-border investments
• Investment treaty protection in infrastructure and other major projects
• The interaction between commercial arbitration and investment arbitration
• Managing disputes involving state-owned entities through conciliation / mediation

Large infrastructure projects operate within highly regulated environments and frequently involve states or state-owned entities. Regulatory changes, tariff adjustments, sanctions regimes and shifting national priorities can fundamentally alter the economic balance of long-term projects.

This session examines how projects respond to State intervention while the contract is still alive.

The panel are expected to discuss:

• Regulatory intervention affecting infrastructure concessions
• Economic equilibrium and stabilisation clauses
• Renegotiation versus arbitration in long-term projects
• Keeping projects viable under political and regulatory pressure

“This House believes that time and cost problems in international arbitration arise at heart because the market for arbitrators has made arbitrators too reluctant to say no”.