261Exploration permits

261 Exploration permits (1) Despite anything to the contrary in this Act, if an exploration permit is in force immediately before the moratorium commencement— (a) if the exploration permit was renewed before the moratorium commencement, the date on which the permit is taken to expire is 5 years from the day after the day on which the moratorium period ends, unless the permit is cancelled or surrendered earlier; and (b) in any other case, for the purposes of section 26, the day on which the permit is taken to have been registered in the petroleum register is the day after the day on which the moratorium period ends. (2) Despite anything to the contrary in section 102, if an exploration permit is in force immediately before the moratorium commencement, the Minister may vary any condition imposed on the permit that is in force immediately before the commencement of section 29 of the **Petroleum Legislation Amendment Act 2020**. S. 262 inserted by No. 20/2020 s. 29.