3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (6), every application for a licence shall relate to an area described in a notice published in the Official Journal.
(2) The notice referred to in paragraph (1) shall—
(a)describe the areas in respect of which applications may be made at any time; and
(b)specify the place where detailed information in respect of those areas may be obtained.
(3) The detailed information referred to in paragraph (2)(b) shall include a report prepared by the Department on the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the areas described in the notice.
(4) If there is any significant change in the information published in the notice under paragraph (1), the Department shall publish an additional notice in the Official Journal.
(5) The Department shall not consider any application for a licence until after a period of 60 days from the date of publication of the notice under paragraph (1) or, as the case may be, any additional notice under paragraph (4), and any application for a licence made to the Department within such period shall be treated as if it were made on the 60th day after the date of publication of the relevant notice in the Official Journal.
(6) Where the Department decides that geological or production considerations justify the granting of a licence in respect of any area to the holder of a licence in respect of a contiguous area, and notifies that holder and any other holders of licences in respect of areas contiguous to the area in question accordingly, any of them may apply for a licence in respect of the area in question within such period as the Department considers sufficient for this purpose and specifies in the notification.