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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).]