August news letter
24th August 2017
SI 2017/857
31st August 2017

SI 2017/855.

The Petroleum and Offshore Gas Storage and Unloading Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2017. Coming into force 15th September. These Regulations amend:

These Regulations amend:

  • the Petroleum Licensing (Production) (Seaward Areas) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/225)
  • the Offshore Gas Storage and Unloading (Licensing) Regulations 2009 (S. 2009/2813);
  • the Petroleum Licensing (Exploration and Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1686); and
  • the Petroleum Licensing (Applications) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/766).

The model clauses in SI 2008/225 shall apply to all seaward area production licences granted on or after 15th September 2017. Amongst other changes, the amendments:
a) provide for the Initial Term of a licence to be divided into phases and for termination at the end of a phase when the criteria set out in the new model clause 4(1) to (3) have not been met;
b) provide for termination on the expiry of any other deadline in the Work Programme for the Initial Term when the action required to be taken by that deadline has not been taken (new model clause 4(4));
c) provide for amendments to the Work Programme for the Initial Term to be agreed by way of notice from the Licensee and subsequent direction from the OGA, rather than by Deed of Variation (new model clause 4A); and
d) provide for extension of the phases of the licence (new model clause 7). These are also to be agreed by way of notice from the Licensee and subsequent direction from the OGA, rather than by Deed of Variation.