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Energy Act 2016

2016 c. 20 · Enacted 12 May 2016 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 15 April 2025.

An Act to make provision about the Oil and Gas Authority and its functions; to make provision about rights to use upstream petroleum infrastructure; to make provision about the abandonment of offshore installations, submarine pipelines and upstream petroleum infrastructure; to extend Part 1A of the Petroleum Act 1998 to Northern Ireland; to make provision about the disclosure of information for the purposes of international agreements; to make provision about fees in respect of activities relating to oil, gas, carbon dioxide and pipelines; to make provision about wind power; and for connected purposes.[12th May 2016]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C1C2

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act excluded in part (18.7.2023) by The Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/734), arts. 1, 6(1)

C2

Act excluded in part (15.4.2025) by The A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/462), arts. 1, 53(2) (with arts. 5, 43, 53(7), Sch. 14)

Contents

  1. Part 1: The OGA
  2. The OGA and its core functions
  3. 1The OGA
  4. 2Transfer of functions to the OGA
  5. 3Transfer of property, rights and liabilities to the OGA
  6. 4Transfer of staff to the OGA
  7. 5Transfer schemes: supplementary
  8. 6Pensions
  9. 7Contracting out of functions to the OGA
  10. Exercise of functions
  11. 8Matters to which the OGA must have regard
  12. 9Directions: national security and public interest
  13. 10Directions: requirements to notify Secretary of State
  14. Information and samples
  15. 11Power of Secretary of State to require information and samples
  16. Funding
  17. 12Powers of the OGA to charge fees
  18. 13Levy on licence holders
  19. 14The licensing levy: regulations
  20. 15Payments and financial assistance
  21. Review
  22. 16Review of OGA and guidance from Secretary of State
  23. Part 2: Further functions of the OGA relating to offshore petroleum
  24. Chapter 1: Introduction
  25. 17Overview of Part 2
  26. 18Interpretation of Part 2
  27. Chapter 2: Disputes
  28. 19Qualifying disputes and relevant parties
  29. 20Reference of disputes to the OGA
  30. 21Action by the OGA on a dispute reference
  31. 22Power of the OGA to consider disputes on its own initiative
  32. 23Procedure for consideration of disputes
  33. 24Power of the OGA to acquire information
  34. 25Power of the OGA to require attendance at meetings
  35. 26Appeals against decisions of the OGA: disputes
  36. Chapter 3: Information and samples
  37. Interpretation
  38. 27Petroleum-related information and samples
  39. Retention
  40. 28Retention of information and samples
  41. 29Retention: supplementary
  42. Information and samples plans
  43. 30Information and samples plans: termination of rights under offshore licences
  44. 31Preparation and agreement of information and samples plans
  45. 32Changes to information and samples plans
  46. 33Information and samples plans: supplementary
  47. Power to require information and samples
  48. 34Power of the OGA to require information and samples
  49. Coordinators
  50. 35Information and samples coordinators
  51. Appeals
  52. 36Appeals against decisions of the OGA: information and samples plans
  53. Chapter 4: Meetings
  54. 37Meetings: interpretation
  55. 38Duty to inform the OGA of meetings
  56. 39Participation by the OGA in meetings
  57. 40Provision of information to the OGA after meetings
  58. 41Notices
  59. Chapter 5: Sanctions
  60. Power to give sanction notices
  61. 42Power of OGA to give sanction notices
  62. Sanction notices
  63. 43Enforcement notices
  64. 44Financial penalty notices
  65. 45Amount of financial penalty
  66. 46Payment of financial penalty
  67. 47Revocation notices
  68. 48Operator removal notices
  69. Sanction warning notices
  70. 49Duty of OGA to give sanction warning notices
  71. Appeals
  72. 50Appeals in relation to sanction notices
  73. 51Appeals against finding of failure to comply
  74. 52Appeals against sanction imposed
  75. Supplementary
  76. 53Publication of details of sanctions
  77. 54Subsequent sanction notices
  78. 55Withdrawal of sanction notices
  79. 56Alternative means of enforcement
  80. Information
  81. 57Sanctions: information powers
  82. 58Appeals against information requests
  83. The OGA's procedures
  84. 59Procedure for enforcement decisions
  85. Interpretation
  86. 60Sanctions: interpretation
  87. Chapter 6: Disclosure
  88. General prohibition
  89. 61Prohibition on disclosure
  90. 62Meaning of “protected material” and related terms
  91. Permitted disclosures
  92. 63Disclosure by OGA to certain persons
  93. 64Disclosure required for returns and reports prepared by OGA
  94. 65Disclosure in exercise of certain OGA powers
  95. 66Disclosure after specified period
  96. 67Disclosure with appropriate consent
  97. 68Disclosure required by legislation
  98. 69Disclosure for purpose of proceedings
  99. Part 3: Infrastructure and Information
  100. Rights to use upstream petroleum infrastructure
  101. 70Requirements to provide information
  102. 71Applications to use infrastructure: changes of applicant and owner
  103. Decommissioning
  104. 72Abandonment of offshore installations
  105. 73Duty to act in accordance with strategy: decommissioning and alternatives
  106. Northern Ireland
  107. 74Part 1A of the Petroleum Act 1998: Northern Ireland
  108. International agreements
  109. 75International oil and gas agreements: information exchange
  110. Part 4: Fees
  111. 76Powers to charge fees
  112. 77Validation of fees charged
  113. Part 5: Wind power
  114. Consent under Electricity Act 1989
  115. 78Onshore wind generating stations in England and Wales
  116. Renewables obligation
  117. 79Onshore wind power: closure of renewables obligation
  118. 80Onshore wind power: circumstances in which certificates may be issued after the onshore wind closure date
  119. 81Onshore wind power: use of Northern Ireland certificates
  120. Part 6: Final Provisions
  121. 82Regulations
  122. 83Regulations and orders: disapplication of requirements to consult the OGA
  123. 84Commencement
  124. 85Short title and extent
  125. Schedule 1: TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS TO THE OGA
  126. Part 1: Primary legislation
  127. Energy Act 1976
  128. 1Paragraph 1
  129. 2Paragraph 2
  130. 3Paragraph 3
  131. 4Paragraph 4
  132. 5Paragraph 5
  133. Petroleum Act 1998
  134. 6Paragraph 6
  135. 7Paragraph 7
  136. 8Paragraph 8
  137. 9Paragraph 9
  138. 10Paragraph 10
  139. 11Paragraph 11
  140. 12Paragraph 12
  141. 13Paragraph 13
  142. 14Paragraph 14
  143. 15Paragraph 15
  144. 16Paragraph 16
  145. 17Paragraph 17
  146. 18Paragraph 18
  147. 19Paragraph 19
  148. 20Paragraph 20
  149. 21Paragraph 21
  150. 22Paragraph 22
  151. 23Paragraph 23
  152. 24Paragraph 24
  153. 25Paragraph 25
  154. 26Paragraph 26
  155. 27Paragraph 27
  156. 28Paragraph 28
  157. 29Paragraph 29
  158. 30Paragraph 30
  159. 31Paragraph 31
  160. 32Paragraph 32
  161. 33Paragraph 33
  162. 34Paragraph 34
  163. 35Paragraph 35
  164. 36Paragraph 36
  165. 37Paragraph 37
  166. 38Paragraph 38
  167. 39Paragraph 39
  168. Energy Act 2004
  169. 40Paragraph 40
  170. Energy Act 2008
  171. 41Paragraph 41
  172. 42Paragraph 42
  173. 43Paragraph 43
  174. 44Paragraph 44
  175. 45Paragraph 45
  176. 46Paragraph 46
  177. 47Paragraph 47
  178. 48Paragraph 48
  179. 49Paragraph 49
  180. 50Paragraph 50
  181. 51Paragraph 51
  182. 52Paragraph 52
  183. 53Paragraph 53
  184. 54Paragraph 54
  185. 55Paragraph 55
  186. 56Paragraph 56
  187. 57Paragraph 57
  188. 58Paragraph 58
  189. 59Paragraph 59
  190. 60Paragraph 60
  191. 61Paragraph 61
  192. 62Paragraph 62
  193. Energy Act 2011
  194. 63Paragraph 63
  195. 64Paragraph 64
  196. 65Paragraph 65
  197. 66Paragraph 66
  198. 67Paragraph 67
  199. 68Paragraph 68
  200. 69Paragraph 69
  201. 70Paragraph 70
  202. 71Paragraph 71
  203. 72Paragraph 72
  204. Infrastructure Act 2015
  205. 73Paragraph 73
  206. 74Paragraph 74
  207. 75Paragraph 75
  208. 76Paragraph 76
  209. Part 2: Secondary legislation
  210. Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Licensing etc) Regulations 2010
  211. 77Paragraph 77
  212. 78Paragraph 78
  213. 79Paragraph 79
  214. 80Paragraph 80
  215. Offshore Petroleum Licensing (Offshore Safety Directive) Regulations 2015
  216. 81Paragraph 81
  217. Schedule 2: ABANDONMENT OF OFFSHORE INSTALLATIONS
  218. Petroleum Act 1998
  219. 1Paragraph 1
  220. 2Paragraph 2
  221. 3Paragraph 3
  222. 4Paragraph 4
  223. 5Paragraph 5
  224. 6Paragraph 6
  225. 7Paragraph 7
  226. 8Paragraph 8
  227. 9Paragraph 9
  228. 10Paragraph 10
  229. 11Paragraph 11
  230. 12Paragraph 12
  231. Energy Act 2008
  232. 13Paragraph 13