Petroleum Act 1923

Before deciding to grant the application, the Minister must decide whether to approve the applicant’s proposed later development plan for the lease.

The application can not be granted unless the proposed plan has been approved.

Part 6, division 2 applies for deciding whether to approve the proposed plan.

The matters that must be considered in deciding the application include each of the following—

the CSG assessment criteria;

whether the applicant has taken all reasonable steps to comply with the relinquishment condition;

the effect of any approval of later development plans for the lease;

any submissions under section 77V lodged within the period mentioned in section 77V(2).

The applicant and the coal or oil shale exploration tenement holder must be given notice of the decision.