The Vexed Question of Venue, Place and Seat in Determining Control of Arbitration Proceedings (THE P & ID Case Study)

Disputes are a common phenomenon in commercial transactions and cannot be done away with. The mechanism of arbitration has been most sought after in the resolution of these disputes because of the autonomy given to parties to decide all the necessary variables such as the arbitrators, seat, venue, and place.

There has however, been a long-lasting dilemma surrounding the concepts of seat, venue, and place of arbitration with different approaches taken to their interpretation. Some have ruled all three concepts to mean one and the same thing, capable of being used interchangeably, while others recognize them as entirely different concepts. This article seeks to define and/or
differentiate between these concepts, while stating the roles they may play in the control of arbitration proceedings.