17Payment of costs

17 Payment of costs (1) The interest holder must pay the reasonable costs of the designated person in participating in a negotiation for an access agreement, including: (a) reasonable legal or accounting costs necessarily incurred by the designated person in connection with participating in the negotiation; and (b) reasonable costs necessarily incurred by the designated person in connection with engaging a suitably qualified person to provide advice or reports on any relevant matter. Examples for subregulation (1)(b) Advice or reports as to land valuation, agronomy or land capability or suitability. (2) Costs under subregulation (1) must be paid within 30 days after a request for payment is made. (3) A request under subregulation (2) must: (a) be in writing; and (b) provide reasonable details and evidence of the costs that are being claimed.

Petroleum Regulations 2020 15 (4) Subregulations (2) and (3) apply: (a) subject to any agreement between the parties about the payment of costs; and (b) subject to the commencement of any proceedings before the Tribunal because of a dispute about the costs (and in this case the period for payment will be suspended pending the outcome of the proceedings).