PETROLEUM AND GEOTHERMAL ENERGY RESOURCES ACT 1967 - SECT 101
PETROLEUM AND GEOTHERMAL ENERGY RESOURCES ACT 1967 - SECT 101
101 . Removal of property etc. by permittee etc.
(1) Where a permit,
drilling reservation or licence has been wholly determined, partly determined,
wholly cancelled or partly cancelled, or has expired, or a lease has been
wholly determined, partly determined or wholly cancelled or has expired, the
Minister may, by instrument in writing served on the person who was, or is, as
the case may be, the permittee, holder of the drilling reservation, lessee or
licensee, direct that person to do any one or more of the following things
—
(a) to
remove or cause to be removed from the relinquished area all property brought
into that area by any person engaged or concerned in the operations authorised
by the permit, drilling reservation, lease or licence or to make arrangements
that are satisfactory to the Minister with respect to that property; and
(b) to
plug or close off, to the satisfaction of the Minister, all wells made in that
area by any person engaged or concerned in those operations; and
(c)
subject to this Part and to the regulations, to make provision, to the
satisfaction of the Minister, for the conservation and protection of the
natural resources in that area; and
(d) to
make good to the satisfaction of the Minister any damage to the Earth’s
crust in that area caused by any person engaged or concerned in those
operations.
(2) The Minister may,
by instrument in writing served on a permittee, holder of a drilling
reservation, lessee or licensee, direct him to do any one or more of the
following things —
(a) to
remove or cause to be removed from the permit area, drilling reservation,
lease area or licence area, as the case may be, all property brought into that
area or part by any person engaged or concerned in the operations authorised
by the permit, drilling reservation, lease or licence or to make arrangements
that are satisfactory to the Minister with respect to that property; and
(b) to
plug or close off, to the satisfaction of the Minister, all wells made in that
area or part by any person engaged or concerned in those operations; and
(c)
subject to this Part and to the regulations, to make provision, to the
satisfaction of the Minister, for the conservation and protection of the
natural resources in that area or part; and
(d) to
make good to the satisfaction of the Minister any damage to the Earth’s
crust in that area or part caused by any person engaged or concerned in those
operations.
(3) A person to whom a
direction is given under either subsection (1) or (2) shall comply with the
direction —
(a) in
the case of a direction given under subsection (1) —within the period
specified in the instrument by which the direction was given; or
(b) in
the case of a direction given under subsection (2) —on or before the
date of expiration of the permit, drilling reservation, lease or licence
concerned.
Penalty for an offence under subsection (3): a
fine of $10 000.
[Section 101 amended: No. 12 of 1990 s. 82; No. 78
of 1990 s. 7; No. 42 of 2010 s. 62(10).]