On October 18, 2018, with the theme of "Vision and Actions on Promoting Open Inclusive and Win-Win Oil and Gas Cooperation with Belt and Road Countries", the second International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference (IPEC) was held in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province. On the afternoon of the 18th, Dentons Beijing and Dentons Zhoushan office jointly organized a parallel forum with the theme of "Legal Landscape and Services in Global Oil and Gas Investment Cooperation", which attracted more than 100 people, including representatives from government, famous domestic and overseas oil companies, academia and the legal profession in and outside the country.

The forum focused on the services, reforms and developments in the oil and gas sector. The speakers delivered keynote speeches on the global energy landscape, legal system and policies regarding exploration and development of oil and gas, cross-border energy cooperation, shipping and international trade. Wang Darong, head of Dentons Xiamen office Management Committee, senior partner and head of the Shipping, Aviation and Aerospace practice group, delivered a speech on the quantity disputes over imported oil products which were commonly encountered in the oil trade and transportation process. Through combining several typical cases, Mr. Wang analyzed and explained the cause of shortage, the possibility of claims, the relevant standards of the reasonable spreads and the liability period of the respondent, and provided practical and professional suggestions for the standardization of oil cargo shipping practices.

The forum aims to provide comprehensive, high-quality and efficient legal services for the world oil and gas industry, and explore a new path for the development of the global oil and gas legal services market. Xiamen, as a strategic hub on the "Maritime Silk Road" and an important international shipping center, has been given a crucial mission in the Belt and Road Initiative. Building on Dentons' global reach, our Xiamen office will continue to integrate the domestic and overseas legal resources in the oil and gas industry chain, and lead the legal services market in this field.