The Petroleum (Current Model Clauses) Order 1999

Rights of access and distress

It is a condition of this licence that the Licensee shall simultaneously with the grant thereof execute a deed in such form as the Minister may require whereby the Licensee agrees to perform and observe all the terms and conditions of this licence and whereby it is provided as follows—

(1) any person or persons authorised by the Minister shall be entitled at all reasonable times to enter into and upon any land for the time being possessed or occupied by the Licensee in the licensed area for the purposes hereinafter mentioned—

(a) to examine the boreholes, wells, plants, appliances, buildings and works made or executed by the Licensee in pursuance of this licence and the state of repair and condition thereof; and

(b) to inspect and check the accuracy of the weighing or measuring appliances weights measurements logs records plans and maps which the Licensee is required to keep or make in accordance with the provisions of this licence; and

(c) to inspect the samples of strata petroleum or water and the accounts which the Licensee is required to keep in accordance with the provisions of this licence; and

(d) to execute any works which the Minister may be entitled to execute in accordance with the provisions of this licence;

(2) if and whenever any of the minimum annual payments or royalties reserved by this licence or any part thereof respectively shall be in arrear or unpaid for 28 days next after any of the days whereon the same ought to be paid (whether the same shall have been legally demanded or not) then and so often as the same may happen the Minister may (as an additional remedy and without prejudice to the power of distress and other rights and remedies to which they would be entitled) enter into and upon any land which shall for the time being be possessed or occupied by the Licensee for the purposes of this licence or the exercise of any of the rights thereby granted and may seize and distrain and sell as landlords may do for rent in arrear all or any of the stocks of petroleum, and products thereof, horses, engines, machinery, tools, implements, chattels and effects belonging to the Licensee which shall be found in or upon the land so entered upon and out of the moneys arising from the sale of such distress may retain and pay all the arrears of the said rents and royalties and also the costs and expenses incident to any such distress and sale rendering the surplus (if any) to the Licensee.