722Minister or petroleum project inspector may obtain information and documents

722 Minister or petroleum project inspector may obtain information and documents

(1) This section applies to a person if—

(b) a petroleum project inspector in relation to the offshore area—

believes on reasonable grounds that the person has information or a document, or is capable of giving evidence, that relates to any or all of the following operations in the offshore area—

(c) petroleum exploration operations;

(d) petroleum recovery operations;

S. 722(1)(e) amended by No. 42/2024 s. 31.

(e) operations relating to the processing or storage of petroleum, including underground petroleum storage;

(f) operations relating to the preparation of petroleum for transport;

(g) operations connected with the construction or operation of a pipeline.

(2) The Minister or the petroleum project inspector may, by written notice given to the person, require the person—

(a) to give to the Minister or the petroleum project inspector, within the period and in the manner specified in the notice, any such information; or

(b) to produce to the Minister or the petroleum project inspector, within the period and in the manner specified in the notice, any such documents; or

(c) to make copies of any such documents and to produce to the Minister or the petroleum project inspector, within the period and in the manner specified in the notice, those copies; or

(d) if the person is an individual—to appear before the Minister or the petroleum project inspector at a time and place specified in the notice to—

(ii) produce any such documents; or

(e) if the person is a body corporate—to cause a competent officer of the body to appear before the Minister or the petroleum project inspector at a time and place specified in the notice to—

(ii) produce any such documents.

(4) A time specified under subsection (2)(d) or (e) must not be earlier than 14 days after the notice is given.

(5) A person who is given a notice under subsection (2) must comply with the notice.

(a) subsection (5);

(b) section 728;

(c) section 729;

(d) section 730.

1 Section 728 is about giving false or misleading information.

2 Section 729 is about producing false or misleading documents.

3 Section 730 is about giving false or misleading evidence.

723 Copying documents—reasonable compensation

A person is entitled to be paid reasonable compensation for complying with a requirement covered by section 722(2)(c).