The Petroleum (Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 1991

Applications for exploration licences

6.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3) below, every application for an exploration licence shall—

(a) relate to one or more contiguous blocks described or specified by a Gazette notice published in accordance with the next following paragraph; and

(b) be made within the period specified by such a notice as the period during which the Secretary of State is prepared to receive applications in respect of the blocks so described or specified;

and shall not comprise only part of a block.

(2) The Gazette notice referred to in the last foregoing paragraph is a Gazette notice describing or specifying by reference to a map deposited at the principal office of the Department of Energy, and at such other places (if any) as may be specified in the notice, areas (in these Regulations referred to as “blocks”) to which reference numbers shall be assigned, in respect of which the Secretary of State is prepared to receive applications for exploration licences and specifying the dates within which applications in respect of the blocks so described or specified are to be made.

(3) The requirements set out in paragraph (1) above shall not apply in any case where the Secretary of State has served notice in writing on such persons as appear to him to be concerned that he would be prepared to consider an application for an exploration licence in such circumstances as are specified in the notice.