Energy Act 1976

11 Interpretation of ss.8 to 10

(1) In sections 8 to 10 and this section—

(a) " offshore natural gas " means natural gas won under the authority of licences under the [1934 c. 36.] Petroleum (Production) Act 1934, as applied by section 1(3) of the [1964 c. 29.] Continental Shelf Act 1964, but does not include gas derived from offshore crude otherwise than as a byproduct of crude stabilisation ;

(b) in relation to offshore natural gas, " the licensees " are those who won it under such authority ;

(c) " offshore crude " means crude liquid petroleum won under such authority ; and

(d) " crude stabilisation" means the treating of offshore crude to enable it to be safely stored or transported.

(2) In sections 8 to 10 and this section references to supply or use for industrial purposes are to supply or use for the purposes of any of the activities described in any of the minimum list headings in Orders II to XIX (inclusive) and XXI of the Standard Industrial Classification.

(3) Industrial fuel purposes are industrial purposes which consist of or include the use of gas as a fuel; and for the purpose of determining whether any industrial purposes are industrial fuel purposes the use of any gas or liquid derived otherwise than as a by-product from the gas in question shall be treated as the use of that gas.

(4) The use of gas to provide heat or energy is not use for industrial fuel purposes if it is—

(a) for a process in which the gas is used otherwise than as a fuel;

(b) where such a process is one of a series, for any further process in the same series other than a process in which a bulk product is converted into manufactured articles;

(c) for a process of crude stabilisation ;

(d) for a process of purification or fractionation of offshore natural gas;

(e) in connection with the movement of offshore crude or offshore natural gas by pipe-line or otherwise,

and supply for any such use shall not be treated as supply for industrial fuel purposes.

(5) Any question whether the purposes for which gas is to be supplied or used are industrial purposes or industrial fuel purposes, shall be determined by the Secretary of State.

(6) For the purposes of sections 8 to 10 companies are associated together in the same group if one is a subsidiary of the other or both are subsidiaries of a third (" subsidiary " having the same meaning as in the [1948 c. 38.] Companies Act 1948).