Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1982

Where a permit, licence or pipeline 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, lessee, licensee or pipeline licensee, direct that person to do any one or more of the following things:

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, lease, licence or pipeline licence or to make arrangements that are satisfactory to the Minister with respect to that property; and

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

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

to make good, to the satisfaction of the Minister, any damage to the sea-bed or subsoil in that area caused by any person engaged or concerned in those operations.

The Minister may, by instrument in writing served on a permittee, lessee, licensee or pipeline licensee, direct him to do any one or more of the following things:

to remove or cause to be removed from the permit area, lease area, licence area or part of the adjacent area in which the pipeline is constructed, 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, lease, licence or pipeline licence or to make arrangements that are satisfactory to the Minister with respect to that property; and

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

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

to make good, to the satisfaction of the Minister, any damage to the sea-bed or subsoil in that area or part caused by any person engaged or concerned in those operations.

A person to whom a direction is given under subsection (1) or (2) shall comply with the direction—

in the case of a direction given under subsection (1)—within the period specified in the instrument by which the direction was given; or

in the case of a direction given under subsection (2)—on or before the date of expiration of the permit, lease, licence or pipeline licence concerned.