Sweetpea Petroleum Pty Ltd v Paltar Petroleum Limited [2018] NSWSC 1649

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Sweetpea Petroleum Pty Ltd v Paltar Petroleum Limited [2018] NSWSC 1649 Hearing dates: 30 October 2018 Decision date: 02 November 2018 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Ball J Decision: The defendant's notice of motion filed on 22 October 2018 be dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – Summary disposal – Dismissal of proceedings – Whether the proceedings were commenced in breach of a dispute resolution clause – Whether the proceedings should be stayed Legislation Cited: Petroleum Act (NT) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Dance with Mr D Ltd v Dirty Dancing Investments Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 332 Onslow Salt Pty Ltd v Buurabalayji Thalanyji Aboriginal Corporation [2018] FCAFC 118 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Sweetpea Petroleum Pty Ltd (Plaintiff/Respondent) Paltar Petroleum Limited (Defendant/Applicant) Representation: Counsel: SJ Free SC with D Delany (Plaintiff/Respondent) TJ Morahan (Defendant/Applicant)

Solicitors: Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP (Plaintiff/Respondent) Mason Parkes Lawyers (Defendant/Applicant) File Number(s): 2018/263405 Publication restriction: None

Judgment

Introduction 1. These proceedings concern a Joint Venture and Operating Agreement dated 16 September 2011 (the JVOA) between the plaintiff, Sweetpea Petroleum Pty Ltd, and the defendant, Paltar Petroleum Limited, relating to the exploration for gas in the Northern Territory. 2. By a notice of motion filed on 22 October 2018, Paltar seeks an order under Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) (UCPR) r 13.4(1) or the inherent power of the Court dismissing the proceedings on the ground that Sweetpea has not complied with the dispute resolution procedure set out in the JVOA.