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Petroleum Act 1984
29Rights conferred by exploration permit
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29 Rights conferred by exploration permit
(1) An exploration permit, while it remains in force, gives the permittee,
subject to this Act and in accordance with the conditions to which
the permit is subject and the directions, if any, lawfully given by the
Minister, the exclusive right to explore for petroleum, and to carry
on such operations and execute such works as are necessary for
that purpose, in the exploration permit area.
(2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1) but subject to this
Act and any condition or direction referred to in that subsection, a
permittee or, if there is more than one, the permittees jointly and
their agents and employees may:
(a) at any time, enter and remain in the exploration permit area
with such vehicles, vessels, machinery and equipment as are
necessary or convenient for carrying out the technical works
programme or other exploration of the permit area; and
(b) carry out the technical works programme and other
exploration for petroleum in the exploration permit area; and
(c) extract, remove or allow the release from the exploration
permit area for sampling and testing, an amount of material
reasonably necessary for the purpose of establishing the
presence of petroleum, or such greater amount as is
approved; and
(ca) if approved by the Minister – recover petroleum on an
appraisal basis from the permit area; and
(d) subject to the Water Act 1992, any prior lawful activity and to
the directions, if any, of the Minister, use the water resources
of the exploration permit area for the permittee's domestic use
and for any purpose in connection with the permittee's
approved technical works programme and other exploration.
Petroleum Act 1984 33
(3) The Minister must, subject to Division 4 and to the conditions the
Minister thinks fit, grant a production licence to a permittee if the
permittee has:
(a) complied with the conditions to which the permittee's
exploration permit is subject, the directions, if any, given to the
permittee by the Minister and with this Act; and
(b) discovered a commercially exploitable accumulation of
petroleum within the permittee's exploration permit area; and
(c) applied under section 45 for a production licence in relation to
the blocks where the accumulation occurs.