[1] What is in a name? A lot as will be seen in this case. For the plaintiff, it is more than a name. It claims that the name "NF Energy-Bentini JV" represents a partnership between the first and second defendants. It claims that it was the basis upon which the plaintiff had contracted with these defendants. For the first defendant, it is just a name; not a partnership.

Background facts

[2] It all started far away, in Sudan, in fact with a company called Petrodar Operating Company Limited ("Petrodar"). Petrodar is a joint venture company comprising China National Petroleum Corporation, Petroliam Nasional Berhad, Sudan Petroleum Company Limited, China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation and Al-Thani Corporation.

[3] The first and second defendants, formed a consortium known as "NF Energy-Bentini JV" ("the JV") which successfully secured an engineering, procurement, construction and