3 Section 45A of the Petroleum Act 1998, Wales
1 Section 45A of the Petroleum Act 1998 is amended as follows.
2 In subsection (9), at the beginning, insert “Subject to subsection (9A),”.
3 After subsection (9), insert—

“9A Where an offence under this section relates to a notice given to a person who has drilled, or commenced drilling, a well in the Welsh onshore area in pursuance of a petroleum licence, subsection 41(1)(a) applies in relation to its prosecution as though each reference to “the Secretary of State” were a reference to “the Welsh Ministers”.”

.
4 In subsection (10)—
(a) in the definition of “appropriate authority”, as inserted by regulation 2(6)(a), after sub-paragraph (a) insert—

“(aa) in relation to a person who has drilled, or commenced drilling, a well in the Welsh onshore area in pursuance of a petroleum licence, the Welsh Ministers;”

; and
(b) after the definition of “well” insert—

““Welsh onshore area” has the meaning given in section 8A(5).”

.