There is no better time than the present for oil and gas companies to consider the dramatic and aggressive enforcement of antibribery laws globally and the harsh consequences that often ensue. This is especially the case in the US, where the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strikingly have ramped up their efforts to investigate American "issuers" and "domestic concerns"—other US companies—both criminally and civilly under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Moreover, in early April, the UK enacted even-stricter antibribery legislation that could have significant consequences for companies doing business in t...