Supreme Court Decisions with regard to the Brazilian Oil Sector and their Influence on Energy Policy

摘要

This article aims to analyse Supreme Court decisions with regard to the Brazilian oil sector in order to understand their possible effects on public policies, on investments driven to the industry and on production levels. By analysing past decisions, this article also aims to shed some light on what might be future outcomes of legal disputes arising in this industry as a result of the regulatory framework enacted in 2010. The article also attempts to understand the reasons for so few cases being presented to the Supreme Court in the oil sector, which apparently is counter-intuitive, in view of its economic importance and of the level of interests at stake.