Paragraph 7

Before section 356J (but after the heading “Interpretation”) insert—

“Authorisation of development”: oil fields

356IB

(1)

In this Chapter a reference to authorisation of development of an oil field is a reference to a national authority—

(a)

granting a licensee consent for development of the field,

(b)

serving on a licensee a programme of development for the field, or

(c)

approving a programme of development for the field.

(2)

In this section—

• “consent for development”, in relation to an oil field, does not include consent which is limited to the purpose of testing the characteristics of an oil-bearing area,

• “development”, in relation to an oil field, means winning oil from the field otherwise than in the course of searching for oil or drilling wells, and

• “national authority” means—

  1. (a)

     the Secretary of State, or

  2. (b)

     a Northern Ireland department.”