The Petroleum Licensing (Applications) Regulations 2015

Interpretation U.K.

2.  In these Regulations—

“application notice” means a notice published in the [F1 relevant Gazette and on a public web site] which—

(a)

indicates that the [F2 OGA] is prepared to accept applications for petroleum exploration and development licences or seaward area production licences in respect of blocks, and

(b)

specifies the web site on which details of the blocks are published;

“block” means an area to which a reference number has been assigned and published on a web site by the [F3 OGA];

[F4 “landward area” means an area of Great Britain that is within the baselines established by any Order in Council under section 1(1)(b) of the Territorial Sea Act 1987 (extension of territorial sea);]

“landward petroleum exploration licence” means a licence to search for petroleum in a landward area;

[F5 “low water line” means the line so marked on the Ordnance map on a scale of 1:25,000 in the case of maps relating to Great Britain, and 1:50,000 in the case of maps relating to Northern Ireland, in the edition for the areas to which they respectively relate last published prior to the date on which these Regulations are made;]

“methane drainage licence” means a licence to get natural gas in the course of operations for making and keeping safe mines whether or not disused;

“model clauses” in relation to a licence means the model clauses prescribed under section 4(1)(e) of the Petroleum Act 1998 to be incorporated in licences of that type;

[F6 “multiple phase licence” means a seaward area production licence in which, in accordance with the model clauses or clauses having a similar effect, at least one of Phase A or Phase B (within the meaning given by the model clauses) is specified;]

[F7 “the OGA” means the Oil and Gas Authority;]

“petroleum exploration and development licence” means a licence to search and bore for, and get, petroleum in a landward area;

[F8 “relevant Gazette” means—

(a)

the London Gazette for any notice inviting applications for licences in a landward area;

(b)

the Belfast Gazette, Edinburgh Gazette and London Gazette for any notice inviting applications for licences in a seaward area.]

F9 ...

“seaward area” means—

(a)

[F10 islands on the seaward side of the baselines around Great Britain established by any Order in Council under section 1(1)(b) of the Territorial Sea Act 1987,]

(b)

an area in the sea bed and subsoil beneath waters which lie on the seaward side of the said lines but within the outward limit of the territorial sea of the United Kingdom, and

(c)

an area in the sea bed and subsoil within any area designated under section 1(7) of the Continental Shelf Act 1964 M1 ;

“seaward petroleum exploration licence” means a licence to search for petroleum in any seaward area or landward area below the low water line;

“seaward area production licence” means a licence to search and bore for, and get, petroleum in a seaward area;

“work programme” means a scheme of prospecting including any geological survey by any physical or chemical means and any test drilling.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 2 substituted (31.12.2020) by The Pipe-lines, Petroleum, Electricity Works and Oil Stocking (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1325), regs. 1(1), 9(2); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F2 Word in reg. 2 substituted (1.10.2016) by The Energy (Transfer of Functions, Consequential Amendments and Revocation) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/912), regs. 1(1), 25(2)(a)

F3 Word in reg. 2 substituted (1.10.2016) by The Energy (Transfer of Functions, Consequential Amendments and Revocation) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/912), regs. 1(1), 25(2)(b)

F4 Words in reg. 2 substituted (9.2.2018) by The Scotland Act 2016 and Onshore Petroleum (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions and Model Clauses) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/56), regs. 1(2), 4(2)(a) (with reg. 11)

F5 Words in reg. 2 substituted (9.2.2018) by The Scotland Act 2016 and Onshore Petroleum (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions and Model Clauses) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/56), regs. 1(2), 4(2)(b) (with reg. 11)

F6 Words in reg. 2 inserted (15.9.2017) by The Petroleum and Offshore Gas Storage and Unloading Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/855), regs. 1, 5(2)(b)

F7 Words in reg. 2 inserted (1.10.2016) by The Energy (Transfer of Functions, Consequential Amendments and Revocation) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/912), regs. 1(1), 25(2)(c)

F8 Words in reg. 2 inserted (31.12.2020) by The Pipe-lines, Petroleum, Electricity Works and Oil Stocking (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1325), regs. 1(1), 9(3); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F9 Words in reg. 2 omitted (15.9.2017) by virtue of The Petroleum and Offshore Gas Storage and Unloading Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/855), regs. 1, 5(2)(a)

F10 Words in reg. 2 substituted (9.2.2018) by The Scotland Act 2016 and Onshore Petroleum (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions and Model Clauses) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/56), regs. 1(2), 4(2)(c) (with reg. 11)

Marginal Citations

M1 1964 c. 29, amended by section 37 of, and paragraph 1 of Schedule 3 to, the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Act 1982 (c. 23) and section 103 of the Energy Act 2011 (c. 16).