Expert witnesses for
ICSID investor-state
disputes across Oil and Gas
ICSID registered 55 new arbitrations in 2024 — bringing the total to over 1,000 cases since 1966, a milestone in international investment dispute settlement. Oil, gas and mining account for 38% of new cases. Construction represents 15% and energy a further 24%.
These are not commercial disputes. They are sovereign claims where the financial stakes are enormous, the timelines are long and expert evidence on valuation, damages and industry standards determines the outcome. Masin fields expert witnesses with the depth these cases demand.
ICSID case types covered by Masin
ICSID is exclusively investor-state — every case involves a sovereign government as respondent. The sector breakdown reflects where states have accepted treaty obligations and where investment disputes concentrate.
GAR rankings: Global Arbitration Review Expert Witness Firm Rankings. ICSID sector data: ICSID Caseload Statistics 2024.
The largest single sector in ICSID's caseload, consistently. Investment treaty claims arising from resource nationalisation, regulatory changes affecting extraction rights, concession disputes and expropriation of oil, gas and mining assets. The damages at stake are often in the billions — expert evidence on fair market value, lost profits and industry practice is the fulcrum of these cases.
Power generation, transmission and distribution disputes — often arising from regulatory changes, tariff reductions or the termination of power purchase agreements. Renewable energy investment claims have grown sharply, particularly under the Energy Charter Treaty against European states that changed their solar and wind incentive regimes.
State-sponsored infrastructure projects — roads, ports, pipelines, water treatment — where a sovereign government is the ultimate party. Disputes typically arise from contract termination, failure to pay, regulatory interference or nationalisation. Delay, quantum and technical expert evidence is central to establishing liability and damages.
Technology and telecommunications investment claims against states — licensing disputes, spectrum allocation, digital infrastructure concessions and regulatory interference with tech investments. A growing sector as states increasingly intervene in digital markets and foreign tech investors invoke treaty protections.
Banking regulation claims, insurance sector disputes and financial services investment treaty cases — often arising when a state changes the regulatory framework for foreign financial investors. Expert evidence on financial modelling, regulatory impact and economic damages is the core of these proceedings.
Land expropriation, agricultural concession disputes and agribusiness investment claims — particularly from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Expert evidence on land valuation, crop yield projections, market pricing and economic losses from state interference is essential in these proceedings.
From instruction
to tribunal-ready
What makes ICSID different from commercial forums
ICSID is the only forum where awards are directly enforceable against sovereign states without recourse to domestic courts — a unique and powerful enforcement mechanism that makes the expert evidence underlying the damages award of exceptional importance.
The people behind the opinion