39AApplication for licence by holder of permit to which Royalty Act does not apply

#### 39A Application for licence by holder of permit to which Royalty Act does not apply (1) This section applies to a permit to which the Royalty Act does not apply. (2) A permittee whose permit is in force in respect of a block that constitutes, or the blocks that constitute, a location may, within the application period, make an application to the Designated Authority for the grant by the Joint Authority of a licence in respect of that block, or in respect of one or more of those blocks, as the case may be. (3) An applicant under subsection (2) may, for the purposes only of varying the number of blocks specified in the application, at any time before an instrument under subsection 43(1) informing the applicant that the Joint Authority is prepared to grant to the applicant a licence is served on the applicant, withdraw the application and make a fresh application under subsection (2). (4) Paragraph 41(1)(e) does not apply in relation to such a fresh application. (5) Subject to subsection (6), the application period in respect of a block under this section by a permittee is: (a) the period of 2 years after the day on which the block that constitutes the location concerned was, or the blocks that constitute the location concerned were, declared to be a location; or (b) such other period, not less than 2 years or more than 4 years after that day, as the Designated Authority, on application by the permittee, in writing, served on the Designated Authority before the end of the first‑mentioned period of 2 years, allows. (6) Where: (a) a permittee applies for the grant by the Joint Authority of a licence in respect of a block or blocks in respect of which the permittee has applied for a lease under section 38A; and (b) an instrument refusing to grant the lease is served on the permittee pursuant to subsection 38B(2); the application period is whichever of the following periods last expires: (c) the period that is applicable under subsection (5); (d) the period of 12 months after the day of service of the instrument.