Under a joint operating agreement that provides for operations to be conducted only as Joint Operations or Exclusive Operations, the prohibition extends to all activities falling within the scope of the agreement — including FEED studies, tendering, and contract awards — not merely physical operations within the title area. A joint venture participant's vote to approve a development plan incorporating past unauthorised work, while expressly reserving rights regarding the breach, does not constitute an election inconsistent with the right to remove the operator for material breach. A breach may be material even where no financial damage is suffered, if the non-breaching party is deprived of its contractual right to participate in governance decisions.
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