Directive 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 6 U.K. Offshore oil and gas operations within licensed areas

1. Member States shall ensure that production installations and connected infrastructure are operated only in licensed areas and only by operators appointed for that purpose pursuant to Article 4(4).

2. Member States shall require the licensee to ensure that the operator has the capacity to meet the requirements for specific operations within the framework of the licence.

3. Throughout all offshore oil and gas operations, Member States shall require the licensee to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the operator meets the requirements, carries out its functions and discharges its duties under this Directive.

4. Where the competent authority determines that the operator no longer has the capacity to meet the relevant requirements under this Directive, the licensing authority shall be informed. The licensing authority shall then notify the licensee thereof and the licensee shall assume responsibility for the discharge of the duties concerned and shall, without delay, propose a replacement operator to the licensing authority.

5. Member States shall ensure that operations relating to production and non-production installations are not commenced or continued until the report on major hazards has been accepted by the competent authority in accordance with this Directive.

6. Member States shall ensure that well operations or combined operations are not commenced or continued until the report on major hazards for the installations involved has been accepted in accordance with this Directive. Furthermore, such operations shall not be commenced or continued where a notification of well operations or a notification of combined operations has not been submitted pursuant to point (h) or (i) of Article 11(1) respectively to the competent authority or where the competent authority expresses objections to the content of a notification.

7. Member States shall ensure that a safety zone is established around an installation and that vessels are prohibited from entering or remaining in that safety zone.

However, that prohibition shall not apply to a vessel entering or remaining in the safety zone:

(a) in connection with the laying, inspection, testing, repair, maintenance, alteration, renewal or removal of any submarine cable or pipeline in or near that safety zone;

(b) to provide services for or to transport persons or goods to or from any installation in that safety zone;

(c) to inspect any installation or connected infrastructure in that safety zone under the authority of the Member State;

(d) in connection with saving or attempting to save life or property;

(e) owing to stress of weather;

(f) when in distress; or

(g) if there is consent from the operator, owner or the Member State in which the safety zone is located.

8. Member States shall establish a mechanism for effective participation in tripartite consultation between the competent authority, operators and owners, and worker representatives in the formulation of standards and policies dealing with major accident prevention.