Terms of Service
These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Luanda Refinery intelligence platform, located at luandarefinery.com (“the Platform”), which is published and operated by The Vanderbilt Portfolio (“we,” “us,” or “our”). By accessing, browsing, or otherwise using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety. If you do not agree to any provision of these Terms, you must discontinue use of the Platform immediately and refrain from accessing any content hosted on it.
These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you (“the User”) and The Vanderbilt Portfolio. We encourage all users to read these Terms carefully before engaging with the Platform’s content, services, or features. Your continued use of the Platform following the posting of any amendments to these Terms shall constitute your acceptance of those amendments.
Definitions
For the purposes of these Terms, the following definitions apply. “Content” refers to all text, data, analysis, commentary, graphics, images, design elements, databases, compilations, and other materials published on or through the Platform. “User” refers to any individual or entity that accesses or uses the Platform, whether registered or unregistered. “Platform” refers to the website located at luandarefinery.com, including all pages, subdomains, and associated digital properties. “The Vanderbilt Portfolio” refers to the publisher and operator of the Platform. “Intellectual Property” refers to all copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, proprietary data, and other intellectual property rights associated with the Platform and its Content. “Third-Party Content” refers to any content, services, or resources provided by parties other than The Vanderbilt Portfolio that may be linked to, referenced in, or embedded within the Platform.
Acceptance of Terms
By accessing the Platform, you represent and warrant that you are at least 16 years of age and possess the legal authority to enter into this agreement. If you are accessing the Platform on behalf of an organization, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms, and the term “User” as used herein shall refer to both you individually and the organization you represent. Users who do not meet these requirements are not authorized to access or use the Platform.
Your acceptance of these Terms is effective upon your first access to the Platform. You do not need to sign a physical or electronic document for these Terms to be binding. The act of accessing any page on the Platform, viewing any content, or using any feature constitutes acceptance. If you arrived at the Platform through a direct link, a search engine result, a social media referral, or any other means, these Terms apply equally to your use regardless of how you arrived.
Intellectual Property Rights
All Content published on the Platform is the intellectual property of The Vanderbilt Portfolio and is protected by applicable copyright laws, international copyright treaties, and other intellectual property legislation. The compilation, arrangement, and presentation of Content on the Platform constitutes a collective work and is the exclusive property of The Vanderbilt Portfolio. All rights not expressly granted in these Terms are reserved.
The trademarks, service marks, trade names, and logos displayed on the Platform are the registered and unregistered marks of The Vanderbilt Portfolio. Nothing in these Terms or on the Platform grants any license or right to use any trademark without the prior written permission of The Vanderbilt Portfolio. Unauthorized use of any trademark displayed on the Platform is strictly prohibited and may constitute a violation of trademark law.
The databases and data compilations published on the Platform represent substantial investment in research, collection, verification, and organization. These databases are protected as compilations under applicable copyright law and as databases under applicable database protection legislation. Systematic extraction, reproduction, or reuse of substantial portions of these databases without written authorization is prohibited.
Permitted Use
The Platform is provided for informational, educational, and research purposes. Subject to compliance with these Terms, Users are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Platform for the following purposes:
Personal and Non-Commercial Use. You may access and read the Content for your own personal, non-commercial information and education. You may save or print individual articles for personal reference, provided that you do not remove or alter any copyright notices, attribution, or other proprietary markings.
Sharing and Linking. You may share hyperlinks to articles and pages on the Platform through email, social media, or other digital communication channels. When sharing links, you may include a brief description or excerpt of the linked content, not exceeding 150 words, with clear attribution to the Luanda Refinery intelligence platform and a hyperlink to the original content.
Quotation and Citation. You may quote brief excerpts from the Content in your own publications, reports, presentations, or academic work, provided that each quotation is accompanied by proper attribution identifying the Platform as the source, the article title, the author, and the publication date. Quotations should not exceed 300 words from any single article and should not constitute a substantial reproduction of the original work.
Professional Reference. Energy sector professionals, policymakers, researchers, analysts, and consultants may use the Content as a reference source in their professional work, subject to the quotation and attribution requirements described above.
Prohibited Use
The following uses of the Platform and its Content are expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of The Vanderbilt Portfolio:
Reproduction and Redistribution. You may not reproduce, duplicate, copy, distribute, republish, or retransmit substantial portions of the Content in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, or otherwise. This prohibition extends to the reproduction of Content in newsletters, reports, databases, websites, mobile applications, and any other medium.
Commercial Exploitation. You may not use the Content for any commercial purpose, including but not limited to resale, licensing, syndication, or incorporation into commercial products or services, without a valid license agreement from The Vanderbilt Portfolio. This includes using the Content to create competing products, to populate databases for commercial sale, or to provide information services to third parties.
Modification and Derivative Works. You may not modify, adapt, translate, reverse-engineer, decompile, or create derivative works based on the Content without written permission. This prohibition extends to the use of the Content as training data for artificial intelligence, machine learning, or natural language processing systems, whether commercial or non-commercial.
Automated Access. You may not use automated tools, bots, crawlers, scrapers, or other automated means to access, index, harvest, mine, or collect Content from the Platform without prior written authorization. This includes systematic downloading of articles, automated extraction of data from published analyses, and programmatic access to the Platform’s pages.
Framing and Embedding. You may not frame, embed, or display the Platform or its Content within another website, application, or digital property in a manner that obscures the origin of the Content, removes attribution, or creates the false impression that the Content is published by a party other than The Vanderbilt Portfolio.
Misrepresentation. You may not misrepresent the source, authorship, or nature of the Content or present the Content in a misleading context that distorts its meaning or conclusions.
Disclaimer of Warranties
THE PLATFORM AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE VANDERBILT PORTFOLIO DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, RELIABILITY, AND TIMELINESS.
The Vanderbilt Portfolio does not warrant that the Content is complete, accurate, current, or error-free. While we employ rigorous research methods and editorial standards as described in our Methodology statement, the dynamic nature of the petroleum industry means that information may become outdated between the time of publication and the time of reading. Data, statistics, and analytical assessments are based on information available at the time of publication and may be superseded by subsequent developments.
The Vanderbilt Portfolio does not warrant that the Platform will be available at all times, that access will be uninterrupted, that the Platform will be free of errors or technical defects, or that any defects will be corrected. We do not warrant that the Platform is free from viruses, malware, or other harmful components, although we take reasonable measures to maintain the security and integrity of the Platform.
No information, data, analysis, or content obtained through the Platform shall create any warranty not expressly stated in these Terms. Any reliance on the Content is at your own risk, and you assume full responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken based on the Content.
Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE VANDERBILT PORTFOLIO, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AFFILIATES, AND LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PLATFORM OR ANY CONTENT PUBLISHED ON THE PLATFORM.
This limitation of liability applies to, but is not limited to, damages arising from loss of profits, loss of revenue, loss of data, loss of business opportunities, business interruption, personal injury, property damage, or any other pecuniary or non-pecuniary loss, whether based on warranty, contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or any other legal theory, and regardless of whether The Vanderbilt Portfolio has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
In jurisdictions that do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain warranties or liabilities, our liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by the applicable law of that jurisdiction. Nothing in these Terms shall exclude or limit liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.
Not Investment Advice
The Content on the Platform does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, accounting advice, or any other form of professional advisory service. The analysis, data, projections, and commentary presented are for informational and educational purposes only and are intended to contribute to the public understanding of the Luanda Refinery and Angola’s downstream petroleum sector.
No Content on the Platform should be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security, commodity, financial instrument, or other investment. No Content should be relied upon as the sole or primary basis for any investment decision, business strategy, policy action, or other professional judgment. The petroleum industry involves substantial risks, and past performance or historical data presented on the Platform is not indicative of future results.
Users who require investment advice, financial guidance, legal counsel, or other professional services should consult qualified professionals who are licensed and authorized to provide such services in the relevant jurisdiction. The Vanderbilt Portfolio does not hold any licenses or registrations as an investment advisor, broker-dealer, financial planner, or legal counsel.
Third-Party Links and Content
The Platform may contain hyperlinks to websites, resources, and services operated by third parties. These links are provided solely for the convenience of Users and for informational purposes. The inclusion of a link to a third-party website does not imply endorsement, approval, or verification of that website or its content by The Vanderbilt Portfolio.
The Vanderbilt Portfolio does not control, monitor, or review the content, privacy practices, or terms of service of third-party websites. We are not responsible for the accuracy, legality, appropriateness, or any other aspect of the content or practices of third-party sites. Users who follow links to third-party websites do so at their own risk and should review the terms and privacy policies of those sites before providing any personal information or engaging with their content.
The Platform may also display advertisements served by third-party advertising networks, including Google AdSense. The appearance of third-party advertisements on the Platform does not constitute endorsement of the advertised products, services, or companies. Interactions with advertisers, including clicking on advertisements and any subsequent transactions, are solely between the User and the advertiser.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Vanderbilt Portfolio, its directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates, and licensors from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or related to your use of the Platform, your violation of these Terms, your violation of any applicable law or regulation, your infringement of any intellectual property or other rights of any third party, or any content or information that you submit, post, or transmit through or in connection with the Platform.
Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the applicable jurisdiction, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms, or the breach, termination, or invalidity thereof, shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation between the parties for a period of not less than thirty (30) days. If the dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation, it shall be submitted to binding arbitration or resolved through the appropriate legal channels in the applicable jurisdiction.
You agree that any cause of action arising from or related to these Terms or the Platform must be commenced within one (1) year after the cause of action accrues. Failure to commence an action within this period shall constitute a permanent waiver of such claim.
Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of that provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions, which shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable while preserving its original intent, or if modification is not possible, it shall be severed from these Terms.
Waiver
The failure of The Vanderbilt Portfolio to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. A waiver of any provision shall be effective only if made in writing and signed by an authorized representative of The Vanderbilt Portfolio, and such waiver shall not be construed as a continuing waiver or a waiver of any other provision.
Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy published on the Platform, constitute the entire agreement between you and The Vanderbilt Portfolio regarding your use of the Platform and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications, proposals, and agreements, whether oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.
Changes to Terms
The Vanderbilt Portfolio reserves the right to modify, amend, or replace these Terms at any time and at its sole discretion. When we make material changes to these Terms, we will update the effective date at the bottom of this page. We may also, at our discretion, notify Users of material changes through a notice on the Platform’s homepage or through other reasonable means. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically for changes.
Your continued use of the Platform after any modification to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the modified Terms. If you do not agree to any modification, your sole remedy is to discontinue use of the Platform.
Contact
For questions, concerns, or inquiries regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us at:
Email: info@luandarefinery.com
We will make reasonable efforts to respond to inquiries about these Terms within two business days of receipt.
Effective date: March 22, 2026.