Publication:
World Bank Guarantees for Oil and Gas Projects

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (427.82 KB)
328 downloads
English Text (22.14 KB)
44 downloads
Published
1998-11
ISSN
Date
2012-08-13
Editor(s)
Abstract
Private investors are considering several large-scale oil and gas production, pipeline, and cross-border pipeline projects in developing countries, including in West Africa and in the Caspian Sea region. While the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are well known for their work in helping to create enabling environments for foreign investment in large infrastructure projects, by supporting reform in such areas as taxation and energy legislation, this Note focuses on a different role for the World Bank -- encouraging private sector involvement in large-scale oil and gas projects by providing guarantees in direct support of the government contractual undertakings that may be needed to induce foreign direct investment in these projects. World Bank guarantees offer a unique type of risk mitigation that may prove to be a catalyst in raising finance for these projects.
Link to Data Set
Citation
Sinclair, Scott. 1998. World Bank Guarantees for Oil and Gas Projects. Viewpoint. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11528 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Report Series
Viewpoint
Other publications in this report series
  • Publication
    Small Business Tax Regimes
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2016-02) Coolidge, Jacqueline; Yilmaz, Fatih
    Simplified tax regimes for micro and small enterprises in developing countries are intended to facilitate voluntary tax compliance. However, survey evidence suggests that small business taxation based on simplified bookkeeping or turnover is sometimes perceived as too complex for microenterprises in countries with high illiteracy levels. Very simple fixed tax regimes not requiring any books or records tend to be overly popular but prone to abuse. System reforms will require more precise tailoring of the simplified regimes to their target beneficiaries, coupled with strong compliance management to detect and deter abuse. The overall objective of simplified taxation for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in developing countries is generally to facilitate voluntary tax compliance and remove obstacles in moving toward business formalization and growth.
  • Publication
    Investment Climate in Africa
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-07-01) Bridgman, David; Adamali, Aref
    The World Bank Group has been working on investment climate reform in Sub-Saharan Africa for nearly a decade, a period characterized by dramatic economic growth on the continent. Establishing links between such reform interventions and economic growth, however, is a complex problem. Although this note finds some connection between investment climate reform and economic growth, establishing more concrete evidence of causation will require greater focus at the country level, as well as on small and medium enterprises. This is where investment climate interventions generate change.
  • Publication
    Contract Farming
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-10) Minot, Nicholas; Ronchi, Loraine
    Contract farming involves production by farmers under agreement with buyers for their outputs. This arrangement can help integrate small-scale farmers into modern agricultural value chains, providing them with inputs, technical assistance, and assured markets. Critics contend that contract partners may subject farmers to abuses. The literature shows that in fact contract farming can raise farm income, but mainly for high-value crops. It also indicates that in many cases firms are willing to work with small farms. This note confirms that conflicts are common between buyers and farmers, and that alternative dispute resolution methods may help resolve them.
  • Publication
    Competition and Poverty
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2016-04) Begazo, Tania; Nyman, Sara
    A literature review shows competition policy reforms can deliver benefits for the poorest households and improve income distribution. A lack of competition in food markets hurts the poorest households the most. Competition in input markets and between buyers helps farmers and small businesses. And more competitive markets bolster job growth over the longer term. More research is needed, however, to better understand the impact of competition reforms and antitrust enforcement on poverty and shared prosperity.
  • Publication
    Export Competitiveness
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-06) Goodwin, Tanja; Pierola, Martha Denisse
    This review of the empirical literature shows that industries with more intense domestic competition will export more. Competition law enforcement can be traced to export performance and is complementary to trade reforms. Pro-competition market regulation that reduces restrictions and promotes competition, where it is viable, is an important determinant for trade. The elimination of barriers to entry and rivalry, and a level playing field in upstream sectors contributes to export competitiveness in downstream manufacturing sectors. In some sectors, effective competition policy can directly lower trade costs.
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    Mitigating Project Risks World Bank : Support for Government Guarantees
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 1996-05) Benoit, Philippe
    The World Bank has two distinct financial vehicles to support developing country governments wanting to provide guarantees to attract private investors: issuing guarantees to investors and making loans to host governments to fund guarantees. The author explains how these vehicles work and reviews some of their advantages and disadvantages.
  • Publication
    A Review of Credit Guarantee Schemes in the Middle East and North Africa Region
    (2011-03-01) Saadani, Youssef; Arvai, Zsofia; Rocha, Roberto
    Many countries in the MENA region have established partial credit guarantee schemes to facilitate SME access to finance. These schemes can play an important role, especially in a period where MENA governments are making efforts to improve the effectiveness of credit registries and bureaus and strengthen creditor rights. This paper reviews the design of partial credit guarantee schemes in MENA, and assesses their preliminary outcomes. The paper is based on a survey conducted in 10 MENA countries in early 2010. The authors find that the average size of guarantee schemes in MENA (measured by the total value of outstanding guarantees) is in line with the international average, although there are wide differences across countries, and some schemes seem too small to make any significant impact. Most importantly, the number of guarantees looks generally small while their average value looks large. This suggests that guarantee schemes are not yet reaching the smaller firms. Guarantee schemes in MENA look financially sound and most schemes have room to grow. However, this growth should be accompanied by an improvement of some key design and management features, as well as the introduction of systematic impact evaluation reviews.
  • Publication
    How Do Countries Measure, Manage, and Monitor Fiscal Risks Generated by Public-Private Partnerships? Chile, Peru, South Africa, Turkey
    (World Bank Group, Washington, DC, 2014-09) Aslan, Cigdem; Duarte, David
    The topic of managing fiscal risks arising from public-private partnerships is receiving increased attention as more governments turn toward this type of financing for large infrastructure projects. Governments can manage balance sheet exposure to public-private partnerships by quantifying and capturing direct obligations and provisions for potential calls on government guarantees associated with public-private partnership projects in the preparation of the medium term fiscal framework and annual budget. This working paper examines how four countries with active public-private partnership projects manage the costs and risks of financial obligations generated by these investments throughout the lifetime of the contracts. The paper seeks to complement the existing literature with a practitioner's point of view while exploring if and how these countries monitor and evaluate the fiscal risks generated by the portfolio of public-private partnerships (as well as individual projects). The countries covered are Chile, Peru, South Africa, and Turkey, all of which have experience implementing public-private partnership projects. The research finds that countries have tailored fiscal risk management and monitoring frameworks to fit their circumstances and respective budgeting, accounting, and reporting practices. All four countries assess the overall or partial credit exposure to monitor and manage their fiscal commitments from public-private partnerships in a consolidated way. All countries have developed evaluation models to help assess fiscal risks and assess project and portfolio level credit exposure. Further scrutiny could be focused on budgeting and accounting practices, which could be strengthened and brought in line with international standards. Similarly, sharing and standardizing information would improve transparency and accountability.
  • Publication
    Fostering the Development of Greenfield Mining-related Transport Infrastructure through Project Financing
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-04) International Finance Corporation; Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility
    The purpose of this study is to serve as a guide on developing Greenfield transport infrastructure (rail and port) primarily used to support mining operations ('mining-related infrastructure'), through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) schemes and on a project finance basis. The focus is on key financing issues and considerations, as well as recommendations for governments and private-sector participants, specifically in the context of sub-Saharan Africa and similar regions. Over the past decade, the rapid economic growth in newly industrialized markets has fueled a strong demand for various commodities (such as iron, coal, bauxite and copper), with significant impact on their prices. The last ten years have seen an unprecedented rise in the price of mineral commodities worldwide. From the mid-2000s through the early 2010s, the world's largest mining companies embarked in the planning of numerous and often very large mining projects to satisfy what was seen as an ever growing double digit demand for minerals (iron ore, coal, bauxite, copper, etc). A number of these mining projects are located in frontier countries (e.g. Mongolia, Guinea, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Mozambique). This report explores the challenges and solutions associated with the development of Greenfield mining-related transport infrastructure through project financing in frontier countries, including as shared-use assets. From an ownership and financing structure perspective, there are three traditional forms of ownership models: public-sector led, mining company-led or third-party investment. Given that most frontier host governments simply do not have the ability to fund these infrastructure projects on a purely public basis (including with the assistance of multilateral development banks), this report focuses on the latter two ownership arrangements. In terms of financing models, the size of such investments often rules out corporate financing as a viable option for external investors. Thus project financing is the most feasible and most adapted form of debt financing for Greenfield multi-user/multi-client mining-related infrastructure, assuming project bankability can be demonstrated to lenders. Lastly, public authorities might have to accept that multi-usage demands made to transport mining infrastructure operators might have to be initially or permanently restricted to secure, first and foremost, the delivery of an efficient mining transport system at the lowest possible cost to its anchor user/client.
  • Publication
    Indonesia - Financial Support for Public Private Partnerships : Guarantee Fund and World Bank Assistance
    (Washington, DC, 2010-12) World Bank
    The Government of Indonesia has expressed interest in the World Bank's help in determining the best options for financing mechanisms to support public-private partnership (PPP) development. The Government would like to explore wholesale-type approaches via the establishment of a guarantee fund with financial support from the Bank and other multilateral institutions. This note discusses how the guarantee fund and the Bank's support will best work, presentation of options, how this concept relates to the current work on risk management strategies, and relevant international experience. After describing the background behind Indonesia s need for a guarantee fund, the report goes over possible steps in establishing a fund, and compares other governments experiences. Next, the concept of a government-sponsored guarantee fund is defined, along with its risks and benefits. The World Bank can provide advisory and financial support in the establishment of the guarantee fund. The last section describes the next steps to be taken by the government of Indonesia.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    Global Economic Prospects, January 2025
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16) World Bank
    Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.
  • Publication
    Global Economic Prospects, June 2025
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-10) World Bank
    The global economy is facing another substantial headwind, emanating largely from an increase in trade tensions and heightened global policy uncertainty. For emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), the ability to boost job creation and reduce extreme poverty has declined. Key downside risks include a further escalation of trade barriers and continued policy uncertainty. These challenges are exacerbated by subdued foreign direct investment into EMDEs. Global cooperation is needed to restore a more stable international trade environment and scale up support for vulnerable countries grappling with conflict, debt burdens, and climate change. Domestic policy action is also critical to contain inflation risks and strengthen fiscal resilience. To accelerate job creation and long-term growth, structural reforms must focus on raising institutional quality, attracting private investment, and strengthening human capital and labor markets. Countries in fragile and conflict situations face daunting development challenges that will require tailored domestic policy reforms and well-coordinated multilateral support.
  • Publication
    Using Immunization Coverage Rates for Monitoring Health Sector Performance : Measurement and Interpretation Issues
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2000-08) Bos, Eduard; Batson, Amie
    Immunization against childhood diseases such as diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and measles is one of the most important means of preventing childhood morbidity and mortality. Despite the low cost of basic childhood immunizations, nearly 3 million children still die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases. Achieving and maintaining high levels of immunization coverage must therefore be a priority for all health systems. In order to monitor progress in achieving this objective, immunization coverage data can serve as an indicator of a health system's capacity to deliver essential services to the most vulnerable members of a population. This note discusses the use of trends in immunization coverage data, and argues that immunization is a health output with a strong impact on child morbidity, child mortality and permanent disability. This note discusses measurement and interpretation issues for coverage data collected through surveys and administrative records.
  • Publication
    Business Ready 2024
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03) World Bank
    Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.
  • Publication
    The Container Port Performance Index 2023
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-07-18) World Bank
    The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) measures the time container ships spend in port, making it an important point of reference for stakeholders in the global economy. These stakeholders include port authorities and operators, national governments, supranational organizations, development agencies, and other public and private players in trade and logistics. The index highlights where vessel time in container ports could be improved. Streamlining these processes would benefit all parties involved, including shipping lines, national governments, and consumers. This fourth edition of the CPPI relies on data from 405 container ports with at least 24 container ship port calls in the calendar year 2023. As in earlier editions of the CPPI, the ranking employs two different methodological approaches: an administrative (technical) approach and a statistical approach (using matrix factorization). Combining these two approaches ensures that the overall ranking of container ports reflects actual port performance as closely as possible while also being statistically robust. The CPPI methodology assesses the sequential steps of a container ship port call. ‘Total port hours’ refers to the total time elapsed from the moment a ship arrives at the port until the vessel leaves the berth after completing its cargo operations. The CPPI uses time as an indicator because time is very important to shipping lines, ports, and the entire logistics chain. However, time, as captured by the CPPI, is not the only way to measure port efficiency, so it does not tell the entire story of a port’s performance. Factors that can influence the time vessels spend in ports can be location-specific and under the port’s control (endogenous) or external and beyond the control of the port (exogenous). The CPPI measures time spent in container ports, strictly based on quantitative data only, which do not reveal the underlying factors or root causes of extended port times. A detailed port-specific diagnostic would be required to assess the contribution of underlying factors to the time a vessel spends in port. A very low ranking or a significant change in ranking may warrant special attention, for which the World Bank generally recommends a detailed diagnostic.