Petroleum Act 1998

29 Preparation of programmes

(1) The Secretary of State may by written notice require—

(a) the person to whom the notice is given; or

(b) where notices are given to more than one person, those persons jointly,

to submit to the Secretary of State a programme setting out the measures proposed to be taken in connection with the abandonment of an offshore installation or submarine pipeline (an “abandonment programme”).

(2) A notice under subsection (1) shall either specify the date by which the abandonment programme is to be submitted or provide for it to be submitted on or before such date as the Secretary of State may direct.

(3) A notice under subsection (1) may require the person to whom it is given to carry out such consultations as may be specified in the notice before submitting an abandonment programme.

(4) An abandonment programme—

(a) shall contain an estimate of the cost of the measures proposed in it;

(b) shall either specify the times at or within which the measures proposed in it are to be taken or make provision as to how those times are to be determined;

(c) if it proposes that an installation or pipeline be left in position or not wholly removed, shall include provision as to any continuing maintenance that may be necessary.

(5) A person who submits an abandonment programme to the Secretary of State under this section shall at the same time pay to him such fee in respect of his expenditure under this Part of this Act as may be determined in accordance with regulations under section 39.

(6) The Secretary of State may exercise his powers under this section notwithstanding that an abandonment programme has previously been submitted for the installation or pipeline in question, but only if he rejected that programme under section 32 or has withdrawn his approval of it under section 35.