Mineral development is a high-risk, long-term and large-capital investment endeavor; as such, it should form part of an overall legal and economic strategy.
Regulation of petroleum development in all its aspects before starting exploration and exploitation activities is crucial for the protection of the national interests and natural resources in a country.
Experiences of oil producing countries show that there is always a challenge for the host government to strike a balance between attracting the international oil companies and efficiently regulating their activities.