109Effect of withdrawal or lapse of application

#### 109 Effect of withdrawal or lapse of application Scope (1) This section applies if: (a) 2 or more applications have been made under section 104 for the grant of a petroleum exploration permit over the same block or blocks; and (b) one or more, but not all, of the applications are withdrawn or have lapsed. Application is taken not to have been made (2) A withdrawn or lapsed application is taken not to have been made. Offer document is taken not to have been given (3) If the Joint Authority gave an offer document in relation to a withdrawn or lapsed application, the Joint Authority is taken not to have given an offer document in relation to the withdrawn or lapsed application. Request to grant petroleum exploration permit (4) If the applicant, or one of the applicants, whose application had been withdrawn had requested the Joint Authority under section 260 to grant a petroleum exploration permit to the applicant concerned, the request is taken not to have been made. Refusal to grant petroleum exploration permit (5) If the following conditions are satisfied in relation to a remaining applicant: (a) the Joint Authority had refused to grant a petroleum exploration permit to the remaining applicant; (b) the Joint Authority did not exclude the remaining applicant from the ranking under subsection 106(5); the refusal is taken not to have occurred.