16.—(1) Anything which, at the commencement of these Regulations, is in the process of being done by or in relation to the OGA(1) in connection with a transferred function may be continued by or in relation to the Welsh Ministers.
(2) Anything done (or having effect as if done) by or in relation to the OGA before the commencement of these Regulations in connection with a transferred function has effect, so far as is necessary for continuing its effect after the commencement of these Regulations, as if done by or in relation to the Welsh Ministers.
(3) Any instrument (except an existing licence, an Act or subordinate legislation) made, granted or given before the commencement of these Regulations has effect, so far as is appropriate in connection with a transferred function, as if references to the OGA (and references which are to be read as references to the OGA) were or included references to the Welsh Ministers.
(4) These Regulations do not affect the validity of anything done (or having effect as if done) by or in relation to the OGA in connection with a transferred function before the commencement of the Regulations.
(5) In this regulation—
(a)“instrument” includes awards, authorisations, consents, approvals, judgments, decrees and other documents granted or given in connection with a transferred function but does not include any enactment;
(b)“OGA” means the Oil and Gas Authority; and
(c)“transferred function” means a function transferred to the Welsh Ministers in respect of the Welsh onshore area as a result of section 23 of, or Part 2 of Schedule 6 to, the Wales Act 2017(2).
The “OGA” is defined as the Oil and Gas Authority in section 1(4) of the Energy Act 2016 (c.20).