(1)Where compensation is payable under sections 4 to 6 in relation to any petroleum well the following provisions shall have effect:—
(a)the Ministry shall publish notice of that fact in one or more newspapers circulating in the locality of the appointed area of the well [F1 and shall in the notice name a place or places (including at least one place in the locality) where maps identifying the appointed area of the well are available for inspection at all reasonable hours;]
(b)the notice shall indicate that any person who, having regard to the provisions of section 6, claims to be entitled to compensation for such petroleum may submit his claim for such compensation to the Ministry;
(c)[F2 subject to subsections (3) and (4)] no claim for compensation for the petroleum shall be entertained unless it is made not later than twelve months after the date on which such notices were published or, if published on different dates, the date of the [F1 first] publication;
(d)as soon as may be after the expiration of the period specified in paragraph ( c), the Ministry shall refer every claim for such compensation to the Lands Tribunal for Northern Ireland (in this Act referred to as “the Tribunal” ).
F2(2)On the expiration of the period mentioned in paragraph ( c) of subsection (1), or (if all relevant claims appear to the Ministry to have been made) of such lesser period as appears to the Ministry to be appropriate, the Ministry shall proceed to consider the claims made as mentioned in that paragraph.
(3)Where the Ministry is satisfied that good reasons exist for the failure of any person to submit a claim for compensation under sections 4 to 6 before the expiration of the period mentioned in subsection (1)( c), his claim may be accepted after the expiration of that period.
(4)Any question arising as to the existence of good reasons such as are mentioned in subsection (3), where the Ministry has not accepted a late claim, shall, in default of agreement, be referred to and determined by the Tribunal.]