Commencement and abandonment and plugging of wells
17.—(1) The Licensee shall not commence, or after abandoning in manner hereinafter provided shall not recommence, the drilling of any well without the consent in writing of the Minister.
(2) The Licensee shall not abandon any well without the consent in writing of the Minister.
(3) The Licensee shall ensure compliance with any conditions subject to which any consent under either of the foregoing paragraphs is given.
(4) If any such condition under paragraph (1) of this clause relates to the position, depth or direction of the well, or to any casing of the well or if any condition under either paragraph (1) of paragraph (2) of this clause relates to any plugging or sealing of the well, the Minister may from time to time direct that the well and all records relating thereto shall be examined in such manner upon such occasions or at such intervals and by such persons as may be specified by the Minister’s direction and the Licensee shall pay to any such person or to the Minister such fees and expenses for such examination as the Minister may specify.
(5) The plugging of any well shall be done in accordance with a specification approved by the Minister applicable to that well or to wells generally or to a class of wells to which that well belongs and shall be carried out in an efficient and workmanlike manner.
(6) Any well drilled by the Licensee pursuant to this licence which, at the expiry or determination of the Licensee’s rights in respect of the area or part thereof in which that well is drilled, has not with the consent of the Minister been abandoned, shall be left in good order and fit for further working together with all casings and any well head fixtures the removal whereof would cause damage to such well or if the Minister so directs in manner provided by paragraph (8) of this clause be plugged and sealed in accordance with the Minister’s direction.
(7) All casings and fixtures left in position pursuant to the last foregoing paragraph shall be the property of the Minister.
(8) In any case to which paragraph (6) of this clause applies, a direction by the Minister may be given by notice in writing to the Licensee, not less than one month before the Licensee’s rights in respect of the area or part thereof in which the well is situate expire or determine, specifying the manner in which the well is to be plugged and sealed and the time within which such work is to be done.
(9) An application for the consent of the Minister to the drilling of a well at any place above the low water line shall be accompanied by evidence that the planning authority for the relevant place has been consulted about the drilling and that any planning permission required by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 for the drilling of that well has been granted.