Section 45A of the Petroleum Act 1998, Wales
3.—(1) Section 45A of the Petroleum Act 1998 is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (9), at the beginning, insert “Subject to subsection (9A),”.
(3) After subsection (9), insert—
“(9A) Where an offence under this section relates to a notice given to a person who has drilled, or commenced drilling, a well in the Welsh onshore area in pursuance of a petroleum licence, subsection 41(1)(a) applies in relation to its prosecution as though each reference to “the Secretary of State” were a reference to “the Welsh Ministers”.”.
(4) In subsection (10)—
(a)in the definition of “appropriate authority”, as inserted by regulation 2(6)(a), after sub-paragraph (a) insert—
“(aa)in relation to a person who has drilled, or commenced drilling, a well in the Welsh onshore area in pursuance of a petroleum licence, the Welsh Ministers;”; and
(b)after the definition of “well” insert—
““Welsh onshore area” has the meaning given in section 8A(5).”.