212Minister's decision on variation of field development plan

212 Minister's decision on variation of field development plan

(1) As soon as practicable after a petroleum production licensee gives a variation of a field development plan to the Minister under regulation 210, the Minister must—

(a) if the varied field development plan would meet the requirements of regulation 208(1)—accept the variation; or

(b) if the varied field development plan would not meet the requirements of regulation 208(1)—reject the variation; or

(c) notify the licensee, in writing, that the Minister is unable to make a decision without further assessment of the variation.

(2) If the Minister issues a notice under subregulation (1)(c), the Minister must specify for inclusion in the notice—

(a) any further information the Minister requires to be included in the variation; and

(3) The date specified under subregulation (2)(b) must give the licensee a reasonable opportunity to modify or resubmit the plan.

(4) If the Minister undertakes further assessment of a variation, the Minister must accept or reject the variation as soon as practicable.

(5) The Minister may accept a variation of a field development plan subject to conditions.

(6) The Minister must notify the licensee in writing of the following matters as soon as practicable after the Minister has made a decision to accept or reject a variation of a field development plan—

(b) if the Minister rejects the variation—the reasons for the decision;

(c) if the Minister accepts the variation—the date on which the variation commences;

(d) if the Minister accepts the variation subject to a condition—the condition and the reason for making the acceptance subject to a condition.

(7) If the Minister accepts a variation of a field development plan, the plan as varied replaces the existing field development plan as the plan in force for the field on the date notified under subregulation (6)(c).