Victorian Numbered Acts

OFFSHORE PETROLEUM AND GREENHOUSE GAS STORAGE (CROSS-BOUNDARY GREENHOUSE GAS TITLES AND OTHER MATTERS) AMENDMENT ACT 2021 (NO. 26 OF 2021) - SECT 17

After section 151 of the Principal Act insert —

        " 151A     Minister must have regard to cross‑boundary titles before granting petroleum production licence

    (1)     This section applies if an application for the grant of a petroleum production licence has been made under this Part.

    (2)     In deciding whether to grant the petroleum production licence, the Minister must have regard to the impact (if any) that any of the operations that could be carried on under the licence could have on—

        (a)     operations for the injection of a greenhouse gas substance; or

        (b)     operations for the storage of a greenhouse gas substance—

that are being, or could be, carried on under a cross‑boundary greenhouse gas title.

    (3)     If the Minister is satisfied that there is a significant risk that any of the operations that could be carried on under the petroleum production licence will have a significant adverse impact on—

        (a)     operations for the injection of a greenhouse gas substance; or

        (b)     operations for the storage of a greenhouse gas substance—

that are being, or could be, carried on under a cross‑boundary greenhouse gas title held by a person other than the applicant, the Minister must have regard to—

        (c)     whether the holder of the cross‑boundary greenhouse gas title has agreed, in writing, to the applicant carrying on the operations in respect of which the Minister is so satisfied; and

        (d)     if so—the terms of that agreement.

    (4)     This section does not limit the matters to which the Minister may have regard to in deciding whether to grant a petroleum production licence under this Part.".