Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1982 - SECT 58

Directions as to recovery of petroleum

58. Directions as to recovery of petroleum



(1) Where petroleum is not being recovered in a licence area and the Minister
is satisfied that there is recoverable petroleum in that area, he or she may,
by instrument in writing served on the licensee, direct the licensee to take
all necessary and practicable steps to recover that petroleum.

(2) Where the Minister is not satisfied with the steps taken or being taken by
a licensee to whom a direction has been given under subsection (1), the
Minister may, by instrument in writing served on the licensee, give to the
licensee such directions as the Minister thinks necessary for or in relation
to the recovery of petroleum in the licence area.

(3) Where petroleum is being recovered in a licence area, the Minister may,
for reasons that he or she thinks sufficient, by instrument in writing served
on the licensee, direct the licensee to take all necessary and practicable
steps to increase or reduce the rate at which petroleum is being recovered in
the licence area or from a petroleum pool in the licence area to such rate as
the Minister specifies in the instrument.

(4) Where the Minister is not satisfied with the steps taken or being taken by
a licensee to whom a direction has been given under subsection (3), the
Minister may, by instrument in writing served on the licensee, give to the
licensee such directions as the Minister thinks necessary for or in relation
to the increase or reduction of the rate at which petroleum is being recovered
in the licence area or from a petroleum pool in the licence area.

(5) Without limiting the matters that may be taken into account by the
Minister in determining whether to give a direction under subsection (3) or
(4), the Minister may take into account matters relating to the effects on
State revenue of the proposed direction, but the Minister shall not give a
direction under subsection (3) or (4) if the direction would require action to
be taken that is contrary to good oil-field practice.