1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Oil and Gas Authority (Offshore Petroleum) (Retention of Information and Samples) Regulations 2018 and come into force on the twenty-first day after the day on which they are made.
(2) In these Regulations—
“computerised model” means a model which—
provides a spatial representation of the distribution of sediment and rock in the subsurface, or
simulates the flow of petroleum or any other fluid in a reservoir;
“petroleum” has the meaning given in section 1 of the Petroleum Act 1998(1);
“relevant upstream petroleum pipeline” and “upstream petroleum infrastructure” have the meanings given in section 9H of that Act(2);
“well” includes borehole.
2. These Regulations apply to—
(1) petroleum-related information(3) which is—
(a)held by or on behalf of a specified relevant person(4) on the day the Regulations commence, or
(b)acquired or created by or on behalf of a specified relevant person on or after that day, and
(2) petroleum-related samples(5) which are—
(a)held by or on behalf of a specified offshore licensee(6) on the day the Regulations commence, or
(b)acquired or created by or on behalf of a specified offshore licensee on or after that day.
Section 9H was inserted by section 41 of the Infrastructure Act 2015 (c.7).
“Petroleum-related information” is defined in section 27(1) of the Energy Act 2016.
“Relevant person” is defined in section 18(1) of the Energy Act 2016 as a person listed in section 9A(1)(b) of the Petroleum Act 1998 (c.17), being (i) holders of petroleum licences; (ii) operators under petroleum licences; (iii) owners of upstream petroleum infrastructure; (iv) persons planning and carrying out the commissioning of upstream petroleum infrastructure; and (v) owners of relevant offshore installations. Those terms are further defined in sections 9H-9I of the Petroleum Act 1998.
“Petroleum-related samples” is defined in section 27(1) of the Energy Act 2016.
“Offshore licensee” is defined in section 18(1) of the Energy Act 2016.