4 Interpretation
(1) In this Act:
access authority means an access authority under Part II.
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 3
adjacent area means, subject to subsection (2), so much of the
area the boundary of which is described in Schedule 3 as is part of
the territorial sea of Australia, including the territorial sea adjacent
to any island forming part of the Territory, and includes, subject to
subsection (3), an area which:
(a) is within the area the boundary of which is described in
Schedule 3;
(b) is seaward of the coastline of the Territory at mean low water
and landward of the inner limit of the territorial sea of
Australia; and
(c) was, immediately before the commencement of this Act, the
subject of an exploration permit for petroleum subsisting under
the Commonwealth Act.
application for a primary licence means an application under
section 40(1) or (2) or 40A(2) or (3).
application for a secondary licence means an application under
section 40(3) or 40A(3).
approved means approved by the Minister.
block means a block constituted as provided by section 17.
Commonwealth Act means:
(a) the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967 of the
Commonwealth, as amended from time to time; or
as amended from time to time.
Commonwealth Minister means the Minister of the Crown in right
of the Commonwealth for the time being administering the
Commonwealth Act.
construct includes place and construction has a corresponding
meaning.
continental shelf means the continental shelf, within the meaning
of the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973 of the Commonwealth,
adjacent to the coast of Australia (including the coast of any island
forming part of a State or Territory) or of a Territory to which the
Commonwealth Act applies or extends.
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 4
corresponding law means an Act of another State or a law in force
in a Territory of the Commonwealth giving effect to the agreement
between the Governments of the Commonwealth, the States and
the Northern Territory referred to in the preamble to this Act.
datum means a reference frame for defining geographic
co-ordinates.
Note:
If the position on the surface of the Earth of a particular point is identified by a
co-ordinate that is determined by reference to a particular datum, the use of a
different datum will result in the same point being identified by a different
co-ordinate.
document includes any map, book, record or writing.
geographic co-ordinate includes:
(a) a meridian of longitude by itself; and
(b) a parallel of latitude by itself.
good oilfield practice means all those things that are generally
accepted as good and safe in the carrying on of exploration for
petroleum or, in operations for the recovery of petroleum, as the
case may be.
graticular section means a section referred to in section 17.
inspector means a person appointed as an inspector under
section 125.
interstate Minister means the Minister of the Crown in right of a
State administering the corresponding law of that State.
Joint Authority means the Commonwealth-Northern Territory
Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority (also known as the
Commonwealth-Northern Territory Off-shore Petroleum Joint
Authority) established by the Commonwealth Act.
lease means a retention lease under Division 2A of Part II.
lease area means the area constituted by the blocks that are the
subject of a lease.
lessee means the registered holder of a lease.
licence means a production licence for petroleum granted under
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 5
licence area means the area constituted by the blocks that are the
subject of a licence.
licensee means the registered holder of a licence.
listed OHS laws has the meaning in section 153.
location means a block or blocks in respect of which a declaration
under section 37 is in force.
Ministerial Council means a body (however described) that
consists of the Minister of the Commonwealth, and the Minister of
each State and Territory, who is responsible, or principally
responsible, for matters relating to energy or resources.
native title and native title rights and interests have the meaning
given in section 223 of the Native Title Act.
Native Title Act means the Native Title Act 1993 of the
Commonwealth.
native title holder has the meaning given in section 224 of the
Native Title Act.
natural resources has the same meaning as in paragraph 4 of
Article 77 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982.
offshore place has the meaning given in section 253 of the Native
Title Act.
OHS inspector means an OHS inspector appointed under the
Commonwealth Act.
partly cancelled means:
(a) in relation to a permit or licence – cancelled as to one or more
but not all of the blocks the subject of the permit or licence;
and
(b) in relation to a pipeline licence – cancelled as to a part of the
pipeline the subject of the licence.
partly determined, in relation to a permit or lease, means
determined as to one or more but not all of the blocks the subject of
the permit or lease.
permit means an exploration permit for petroleum granted under
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 6
permit area means the area constituted by the blocks that are the
subject of a permit.
permittee means the registered holder of a permit.
petroleum means:
(a) any naturally occurring hydrocarbon, whether in a gaseous,
liquid or solid state;
(b) any naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbons, whether in a
gaseous, liquid or solid state; or
(c) any naturally occurring mixture of one or more hydrocarbons,
whether in a gaseous, liquid or solid state, and one or more of
the following: namely, hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen, helium and
carbon dioxide,
and includes any petroleum as defined by paragraph (a), (b) or (c)
that has been returned to a natural reservoir in an adjacent area.
petroleum pool means a naturally occurring discrete accumulation
of petroleum.
pipeline means a pipe or system of pipes in an adjacent area for
conveying petroleum but does not include a pipe or system of
pipes:
(a) for returning petroleum to a natural reservoir;
(b) for conveying petroleum for use for the purposes of petroleum
exploration operations or operations for the recovery of
(c) for conveying petroleum that is to be flared or vented; or
(d) for conveying petroleum from a well to a terminal station
without passing through another terminal station, whether the
terminal station to which the petroleum is conveyed is in the
adjacent area or not.
pipeline licence means a licence granted under Part II to construct
and operate a pipeline.
pipeline licensee means the registered holder of a pipeline
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 7
primary entitlement means:
(a) in relation to a permittee – the number of blocks forming part
of a location in the permit area in respect of which that
permittee may make an application under section 40(1); and
(b) in relation to a lessee – the number of blocks in the lease area
in respect of which that lessee may make an application under
section 40A(2).
primary licence means a licence granted on an application made
under section 40(1) or (2).
pumping station means equipment for pumping petroleum or
water and includes any structure associated with that equipment.
register means the register kept in pursuance of Division 5 of
registered holder, in relation to a permit, lease, licence, pipeline
licence, special prospecting authority or access authority, means
the person whose name is for the time being shown in the register
as being the holder of the permit, lease, licence, pipeline licence,
special prospecting authority or access authority.
registered native title claimant has the meaning given in
section 253 of the Native Title Act or, if the claimant is replaced
under section 66B of that Act, means the person who replaced the
claimant.
registered native title rights and interests means:
(a) in relation to a registered native title claimant – the native title
rights and interests of the claimant described in the relevant
entry on the Register of Native Title Claims established and
maintained in accordance with Part 7 of the Native Title Act;
and
(b) in relation to a registered native title body corporate – the
native title rights and interests of the body corporate described
in the relevant entry on the National Native Title Register
established and maintained under Part 8 of the Native Title
Act.
relinquished area means:
(a) in relation to a permit, lease or licence that has expired – the
area constituted by the blocks in respect of which the permit,
lease or licence was in force but has not been renewed;
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 8
(b) in relation to a permit or lease that has been wholly
determined or partly determined – the area constituted by the
blocks as to which the permit or lease was so determined;
(c) in relation to a permit or licence that has been wholly
cancelled or partly cancelled – the area constituted by the
blocks as to which the permit or licence was so cancelled;
(ca) in relation to a lease that has been wholly cancelled – the area
constituted by the blocks in respect of which the lease was in
force;
(d) in relation to a pipeline licence that is no longer in force – the
part of the adjacent area in which the pipeline was
constructed;
(e) in relation to a pipeline licence that has been wholly cancelled
or partly cancelled – the part of the adjacent area in which the
pipeline or the part of the pipeline, as the case may be, was
constructed; and
(f) in relation to a special prospecting authority or access
authority that has been surrendered, cancelled or has
expired – the area constituted by the blocks in respect of
which that authority was in force.
royalty period, in relation to a permit, lease or licence, means:
(a) the period from and including the date from which the permit,
lease or licence comes into force to the end of the month of
the year during which that date occurs; and
(b) each month thereafter.
Safety Authority means the National Offshore Petroleum Safety
Authority established under the Commonwealth Act.
secondary licence means a licence granted on an application
made under section 40(3).
secondary line means a pipe or system of pipes for any purpose
referred to in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the definition of
special prospecting authority means a special prospecting
authority granted under Part II.
tank station means a tank or system of tanks for holding or storing
petroleum and includes any structure associated with that tank or
system of tanks.
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 9
terminal station means a pumping station, a tank station or a valve
station declared to be a terminal station under section 63 or under
the Commonwealth Act or a corresponding law.
valve station means equipment for regulating the flow of petroleum
and includes any structure associated with that equipment.
vessel means a vessel used in navigation, other than air
navigation, and includes a barge, lighter or other floating vessel.
water line means a pipe or system of pipes for conveying water in
connection with petroleum exploration operations or operations for
the recovery of petroleum.
well means a hole in the sea-bed or subsoil made by drilling, boring
or any other means in connection with exploration for petroleum or
operations for the recovery of petroleum but does not include a
seismic shot hole.
wholly cancelled, in relation to a permit, lease, licence or pipeline
licence, means cancelled as to all the blocks, or as to the whole of
the pipeline, the subject of the permit, lease, licence or pipeline
wholly determined, in relation to a permit or lease, means
determined as to all the blocks the subject of the permit or lease.
(2) If, at any time, the breadth of the territorial sea of Australia is
determined or declared to be greater than 3 nautical miles, the
definition of adjacent area in subsection (1) continues to have effect
as if the breadth of the territorial sea of Australia had continued to
be 3 nautical miles.
(3) Where an exploration permit for petroleum subsisting under the
Commonwealth Act immediately before the commencement of this
Act, or a permit granted by way of the first or any subsequent
renewal of such a permit, is cancelled or determined, or expires and
is not renewed, as to an area described in paragraphs (a), (b) and
(c) of the definition of adjacent area, that area ceases to be part of
an adjacent area.
(4) In this Act, a reference to the term of a permit, lease, licence,
special prospecting authority or access authority is a reference to
the period during which the permit, lease, licence, special
prospecting authority or access authority remains in force and a
reference to the date of expiration of a permit, lease, licence,
special prospecting authority or access authority is a reference to
the day on which the permit, lease, licence, special prospecting
authority or access authority ceases to be in force.
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 10
(4A) In this Act, a reference to the term of a pipeline licence is a
reference to the period during which the pipeline licence is in force.
(5) In this Act, a reference to a year of the term of a permit, lease,
licence or pipeline licence is a reference to a period of one year
commencing on the day on which the permit, lease, licence or
pipeline licence, as the case may be, comes into force or on any
anniversary of that day.
(6) In this Act, a reference to the renewal, or to the grant of a renewal,
of a permit is a reference to the grant of a permit in respect of all or
some of the blocks specified in the first-mentioned permit to
mentioned permit or on the day after the date of expiration of the
permit granted upon a previous renewal of the first-mentioned
permit.
(6A) In this Act, a reference to the renewal, or the grant of a renewal, of
a lease is a reference to the grant of a lease in respect of the blocks
in respect of which the first-mentioned lease was in force to
mentioned lease or on the day after the date of expiration of the
lease granted upon a previous renewal of the first-mentioned lease.
(7) In this Act, a reference to the renewal, or the grant of a renewal, of
a licence in respect of the blocks specified in the licence is a
reference to the grant of a licence in respect of those blocks to
mentioned licence or on the day after the date of expiration of the
licence granted upon a previous renewal of the first-mentioned
(9) In this Act, a reference to a pipeline includes a reference to a part of
a pipeline.
(10) In this Act, a reference to a permit, lease, licence, pipeline licence
or access authority is a reference to the permit, lease, licence,
pipeline licence or access authority as varied for the time being
under this Act.
(11) The power conferred by this Act to make, grant or issue any
instrument shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be
construed as including a power exercisable in the like manner and
subject to the like conditions, if any, to repeal, rescind, revoke,
amend or vary any such instrument.
(12) For the purposes of this Act and the Regulations:
(a) the space above or below the adjacent area shall be deemed
to be in that area; and
Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 11
(b) the space above or below an area that is part of the adjacent
area shall be deemed to be in that part.