General provisions for preventing oil pollution U.K.

3 Discharge of certain oils from pipe-lines or as the result of exploration etc. in designated areas. U.K.

(1) If any oil to which section 1 of this Act applies, or any mixture containing such oil, is discharged into any part of the sea—

(a) from a pipe-line; or

(b) (otherwise than from a ship) as the result of any operation for the exploration of the sea-bed and subsoil or the exploitation of their natural resources in a designated area,

then, subject to the following provisions of this Act, the owner of the pipe-line or, as the case may be, the person carrying on the operations shall be guilty of an offence unless the discharge was from a place in his occupation and he proves that it was due to the act of a person who was there without his permission (express or implied).

(2) In this section “designated area” means an area for the time being designated by an Order made under section 1 of the M1 Continental Shelf Act 1964.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable [F1 on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50,000 or on conviction on indictment to a fine][F1 on summary conviction, or on conviction on indictment, to a fine].

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 3(3) substituted (E.W.) (12.3.2015) by The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Fines on Summary Conviction) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/664), reg. 1(1), Sch. 4 para. 6(3) (with reg. 5(1))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 3 excluded (20.8.2005) by Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2055), regs. 1, 18(1)

Marginal Citations

M1 1964 c. 29.