Disputed Maritime Boundaries in Hydrocarbon-Rich Areas

Dr Vivek Chandra

Founder & CEO, Gulfstream LNG

Dr. Vivek Chandra: Expert in Natural Gas and International Law

Dr. Vivek Chandra is a seasoned entrepreneur and expert in the natural gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industries, with a distinguished academic background that includes a Ph.D. in International Law. His doctoral research at Deakin University, Australia, focused on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and its role in resolving disputed maritime boundaries. This work was published in 2023 by Routledge (UK) as an hardback 240 page academic monograph titled The Law of the Sea and Maritime Boundary Disputes in Areas of Hydrocarbon Potential: A Review of Global Hotspots.

In addition to his scholarly achievements, Dr. Chandra is spearheading the development of the JDA Institute, an open-access database and research initiative focused on Joint Development Agreements (JDAs). The JDA Institute aims to advance the use of standard JDAs as a tool for resolving maritime boundary disputes.

Dr. Chandra is also a recognized educator, having taught the highly regarded “Natural Gas Dynamics” executive course, which has been delivered over 25 times across 15 countries. He is the author of Fundamentals of Natural Gas: An International Perspective, a bestselling book published by Pennwell/Endeavor, known for its practical insights into the global natural gas market. His expertise is frequently sought by major LNG and gas conferences worldwide, and he is regularly quoted in leading media outlets.

Dr. Chandra’s academic credentials are complemented by degrees in Geophysical Engineering (Colorado School of Mines), Energy Management (University of Pennsylvania), Petroleum Economics (IFP France), Commercial Law (Deakin University, Australia), and a Ph.D. in International Law (Deakin University, Australia).

With over 30 years of international experience in the gas industry, Dr. Chandra has held key roles, including US LNG project developer and CEO, senior commercial executive at an Australian energy company, and developer of gas projects in the Middle East. His career began with ARCO in the United States, where he gained valuable experience in Alaska and offshore field engineering in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. He has worked on a range of projects, including LNG import and export, as well as gas pipeline export projects.

Currently, Dr. Vivek Chandra serves as the CEO of Gulfstream LNG, a 4 MTPA LNG export project along the Mississippi River in Louisiana, USA. The project is progressing through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) process and has successfully closed multiple funding rounds. Prior to this role, Dr. Chandra was the CEO of Texas LNG, a project he founded in 2013. Under his leadership, Texas LNG completed all permitting requirements, multiple equity funding rounds, FEED engineering, and is now poised to begin construction of a $3+ billion facility.