Petroleum Act 1998

17 Acquisition of rights to use pipelines. U.K.

(1) Subsections (2) and (3) apply where a person applies to the [F1 OGA] for a notice under this section securing to the applicant a right to have conveyed, by a controlled pipeline of which he is not the owner, quantities specified in the application of things which are of a kind so specified and which the pipeline is designed to convey.

[F2 (1A) This section does not apply to—

(a) controlled petroleum pipelines;

(b) pipelines in, under or over the territorial sea adjacent to Great Britain which are used to convey gas directly from a terminal to a pipeline system operated by a gas transporter or to any premises;

(c) gas interconnectors (within the meaning of Part 1 of the Gas Act 1986).]

[F3 (1B) This section also does not apply to controlled carbon dioxide pipelines.]

(2) The [F4 OGA] shall—

(a) give notice to the owner of the pipeline and the applicant that [F5 it] proposes to consider the application; [F6 and

(b) after the expiry of 21 days beginning with the date on which notice under paragraph (a) was served, but before considering the application, give them an opportunity of being heard with respect to the application.]

[F6 or to a gas interconnector (within the meaning of Part 1 of the Gas Act 1986).]

(3) Where the [F7 OGA] is satisfied that, if [F8 it] served a notice under this section the pipeline in question could be operated in accordance with the notice without prejudicing its efficient operation for the purpose of conveying, on behalf of its owner, the quantities of permitted substances which the owner requires or may reasonably be expected to require, the [F7 OGA] may serve such a notice on the owner and the applicant.

(4) In subsection (3), “permitted substances” means the things which may be conveyed by the pipeline in accordance with an authorisation (or, if no authorisation for the use of the pipeline is required by section 14(1), means the things which the pipeline is designed to convey).

(5) A notice under this section may contain such provisions as the [F9 OGA] considers appropriate for any of the following purposes—

(a) to secure to the applicant, without prejudicing the efficient operation of the pipeline for the purpose mentioned in subsection (3), the right to have conveyed by the pipeline the quantities specified in the application of the things so specified;

(b) to secure that the exercise of the right is not prevented or impeded;

(c) to regulate the charges which may be made for the conveyance of things by virtue of the right; and

(d) to secure to the applicant the right to have a pipeline of his connected to the pipeline by the applicant or owner.

(6) Such a notice may also authorise the owner to recover from the applicant payments by way of consideration for any right mentioned in subsection (5)(a) or (d) of amounts specified in the notice or determined in accordance with the notice.

(7) Before serving a notice under section 15(6) on a person other than the holder of the relevant authorisation, the [F10 OGA] shall give that person an opportunity to make an application under subsection (1) in respect of the proposed pipeline to which the authorisation relates; and subsections (1) to (6) shall have effect for this purpose as if references to a pipeline and the owner of it were references to the proposed pipeline and the proposed owner of it.

(8) Before serving a notice under section 16(1) on a person other than the owner of the relevant pipeline, the [F11 OGA] shall give that person particulars of the modifications which [F12 it] proposes to specify in the notice and an opportunity to make an application under subsection (1) in respect of the pipeline; and subsections (1) to (6) shall have effect for this purpose as if references to a pipeline were references to the pipeline as it would be with those modifications.

(9) The use of a pipeline by any person in accordance with a right secured to him by virtue of this section is not a contravention of section 14(1); but a person to whom a right is so secured may not assign the right to any other person.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 17(1) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(2); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)

F2 S. 17(1A) substituted (21.3.2012) by Energy Act 2011 (c. 16), s. 121(1), Sch. 2 para. 11; S.I. 2012/873, art. 2(b)(i)

F3 S. 17(1B) inserted (16.9.2011) by The Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2305), reg. 1, Sch. para. 10

F4 Word in s. 17(2) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(3)(a); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)

F5 Word in s. 17(2) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(3)(b); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)

F6 Words in s. 17(1A) substituted (14.8.2006) by Energy Act 2004 (c. 20), ss. 151(5)(a), 198(2); S.I. 2006/1964, art. 2, Sch.

F7 Word in s. 17(3) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(4)(a); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)

F8 Word in s. 17(3) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(4)(b); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)

F9 Word in s. 17(5) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(5); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)

F10 Word in s. 17(7) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(6); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)

F11 Word in s. 17(8) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(7)(a); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)

F12 Word in s. 17(8) substituted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 17(7)(b); S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)