GUMUSUT-KAKAP SEMI-FLOATING PRODUCTION SYSTEM (LABUAN) LIMITED v SABAH SHELL PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED

w-02imc-124-01-2023 Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) 4 December 2025 • W-02(IM)(C)-124-01/2023 • 100 min read

46 cases cited (9 SG, 37 foreign)

Catchwords

Arbitration Act 2005 - Ex Parte Enforcement Order - to enforce the Award pursuant to section 39 of the Arbitration Act 2005 - set aside the Award pursuant to section 37 of AA 2005 - Arbitral Award, ss 37(1)(a)(iv), (v), (3), 39(1)(a)(iv), (v) and (3) AA - Articles 34.2 and 34.3

Practice Areas

Arbitration Act 2005

Judges (3)

Che Mohd Ruzima bin Ghazali Coram Ong Chee Kwan Delivered Wong Kian Kheong Coram

Counsel (12)

Chooi & Company Firm Lim Chee Wee Partnership Firm Chloe Chew Khe Ying Counsel Respondent Christopher Leong Sau Foo Counsel Respondent Dato' Dr. Cyrus Das Counsel Appellant Dato' Lim Chee Wee Counsel Appellant Emily Ho Mei Li Counsel Appellant Janet Chai Pei Ying Counsel Respondent Kwan Will Sen Counsel Appellant Lee Shih Counsel Appellant Muayyad bin Khairulmaini Counsel Appellant Umesh Nerwin Nair a/l Sivakumar Counsel Respondent

Parties (2)

GUMUSUT-KAKAP SEMI-FLOATING PRODUCTION SYSTEM LIMITED Appellant SABAH SHELL PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED Respondent

Case Significance

GUMUSUT-KAKAP SEMI-FLOATING PRODUCTION SYSTEM (LABUAN) LIMITED v SABAH SHELL ... is a Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) decision dated December 4, 2025 (citation: w-02imc-124-01-2023). <p>Gumusut-Kakap Semi-Floating Production System (Labuan) Limited sought to set aside an arbitral award in favour of Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Limited, arguing that the arbitral tribunal exceeded its jurisdiction by rendering an award in excess of the contractual limitation of liability cap. The Court of Appeal, by a majority, dismissed the setting aside appeals, finding that the tribunal did not act in excess of jurisdiction or breach natural justice, and that the appellant's complaints wer The panel comprised Che Mohd Ruzima bin Ghazali, Ong Chee Kwan and Wong Kian Kheong, with Ong Chee Kwan delivering the judgment.

Summary

Gumusut-Kakap Semi-Floating Production System (Labuan) Limited sought to set aside an arbitral award in favour of Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Limited, arguing that the arbitral tribunal exceeded its jurisdiction by rendering an award in excess of the contractual limitation of liability cap. The Court of Appeal, by a majority, dismissed the setting aside appeals, finding that the tribunal did not act in excess of jurisdiction or breach natural justice, and that the appellant's complaints were essentially an impermissible appeal against the merits of the award.

What was the outcome of GUMUSUT-KAKAP SEMI-FLOATING PRODUCTION SYSTEM (LABUAN) LIMITED v SABAH SHELL ...?

<p>Gumusut-Kakap Semi-Floating Production System (Labuan) Limited sought to set aside an arbitral award in favour of Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Lim...

Statutes Cited

Arbitration Act 2005 (Cap 646)

s 30(5) s 39

Rules of Court 2012

Cases Cited (46)

SG (4)

[2010] SGHC 31 [2015] SGCA 18 [2022] SGCA 1 [2022] SGCA 54

SLR (5)

[2007] 3 SLR 86 [2010] 2 SLR 821 [2012] 4 SLR 98 [2014] 4 SLR 79 [2015] 4 SLR 744

UK (9)

[1913] 2 KB 32 [1933] AC 592 [1945] AC 143 [1969] 2 AC 147 [2005] UKHL 43 [2006] 1 AC 221 [2011] 1 AC 763 [2011] EWHC 1842 [2020] EWHC 301

AU (1)

[2015] VSC 724

MY (26)

[1996] 1 MLJ 178 [2004] 4 CLJ 309 [2005] 2 MLJ 1 [2009] MLJU 793 [2010] 5 CLJ 83 [2010] 9 CLJ 785 [2010] MLJU 2225 [2011] 6 MLJ 441 [2011] MLJU 1537 [2013] 2 CLJ 395 [2013] 4 MLJ 857 [2014] 2 MLJ 749 [2018] 1 CLJ 693 [2019] 1 CLJ 1 [2019] 2 MLJ 413 [2020] 10 CLJ 1 [2020] 11 MLJ 198 [2020] 11 MLJ 281 [2020] 12 MLJ 198 [2020] 12 MLJ 67 [2020] 9 CLJ 213 [2020] 9 CLJ 466 [2020] MLJU 6060 [2021] 2 MLJ 281 [2023] 4 MLJ 113 [2023] 6 MLJ 345

HK (1)

[2022] HKCFI 1327