3.—(1) A relevant person who is an offshore licensee must retain—
(a)any of the following petroleum-related information relating to a geological survey—
(i)relevant data;
(ii)information relating to the position of the following when measurements are taken during the survey—
(aa)the device used to generate the energy used in the survey;
(bb)the sensors used to detect the energy used in the survey;
(iii)data derived from the processing of relevant data where—
(aa)the processing takes place during the survey, or
(bb)the data is used to create the final product;
(iv)the final product;
(v)any report relating to—
(aa)the acquisition or creation of relevant data;
(bb)the processing of relevant data, or
(cc)the final product;
(b)subject to paragraph (2), any petroleum-related information which relates to—
(i)the sub-surface;
(ii)the geology of the strata;
(iii)the structure of any reservoir;
(iv)the chemical composition of any petroleum;
(v)how any petroleum may behave in the reservoir;
(vi)how any petroleum may be trapped in strata and migrate to a reservoir.
(2) Paragraph (1)(b) does not apply to information which relates to a particular geological survey, well or computerised model.
(3) In this regulation—
“final product” means the final 2D, 3D or 4D image of the sub-surface which results from the processing of relevant data and—
includes any data embedded in the image, but
does not include a computerised model;
“relevant data” means data acquired or created in the course of a geological survey.
4.—(1) A relevant person who holds an offshore licence(1) to search and bore for, and get, petroleum must retain any petroleum-related information relating to—
(a)the position or dimensions of a well, including the directional path of the borehole;
(b)the material, equipment or components used in any of the following activities in relation to a well—
(i)drilling;
(ii)any test carried out on any petroleum encountered;
(iii)any test carried out on the well;
(iv)completion work;
(v)production;
(vi)maintenance;
(vii)suspending the use of a well such that it may be re-used for the purpose of getting petroleum or other works;
(viii)plugging, or
(ix)abandoning a well permanently;
(c)any summary of any of the activities listed in sub-paragraph (b);
(d)the strata, formations or fluids which are or may be encountered while undertaking any of the activities listed in sub-paragraph (b) other than production;
(e)the quantity of petroleum or any other fluid produced from or injected into a reservoir where the information relates to a period of twenty-four hours or more;
(f)the chemical composition or characteristics of petroleum or any other fluid produced from or injected into a reservoir;
(g)the quantity of gas which is produced from a reservoir which is flared, vented or used in or during production from that reservoir;
(h)the chemical composition or characteristics of gas which is produced from a reservoir which is flared, vented or used in or during production from that reservoir;
(i)the quantity of petroleum or any other fluid produced or used in or during production from a reservoir which is transported from the petroleum field where the information relates to a period of twenty-four hours or more; or
(j)the chemical composition or characteristics of petroleum or any other fluid produced or used in or during production from a reservoir which is transported from the petroleum field;
(k)the most recent version of a computerised model.
(2) In this regulation—
“characteristics” includes temperature and pressure;
“completion work” has the meaning given in clause 21(4) of the Schedule to the Petroleum Licensing (Production) (Seaward Areas) Regulations 2008(2).
5.—(1) A relevant person to whom this regulation applies must retain any petroleum-related information which relates to—
(a)the position or dimensions of a relevant upstream petroleum pipeline;
(b)the material, equipment or components used in the construction, operation, maintenance or decommissioning of a relevant upstream petroleum pipeline;
(c)the occurrence of construction, maintenance, inspection or decommissioning of a relevant upstream petroleum pipeline, or
(d)the results of any inspection of a relevant upstream petroleum pipeline.
(2) This regulation applies to a relevant person who is—
(a)an owner of upstream petroleum infrastructure which is a relevant upstream petroleum pipeline(3), or
(b)planning and carrying out the commissioning of upstream petroleum infrastructure which is a relevant upstream petroleum pipeline.
6.—(1) A relevant person to whom this regulation applies must retain any petroleum-related information which relates to—
(a)the position or dimensions of a relevant offshore installation or upstream petroleum infrastructure;
(b)the material, equipment or components used in the construction, operation, maintenance or decommissioning of a relevant offshore installation or upstream petroleum infrastructure;
(c)the occurrence of construction, maintenance, inspection or decommissioning of a relevant offshore installation or upstream petroleum infrastructure, or
(d)any summary of the following activities—
(i)in relation to a relevant offshore installation, any activity referred to in section 44(3) of the Petroleum Act 1998(4);
(ii)in relation to upstream petroleum infrastructure which is a gas processing facility, any gas processing operations;
(iii)in relation to upstream petroleum infrastructure which is an oil processing facility, any oil processing operations.
(2) This regulation applies to a relevant person who is—
(a)an owner of a relevant offshore installation;
(b)an owner of upstream petroleum infrastructure other than a relevant upstream petroleum pipeline, or
(c)planning and carrying out the commissioning of upstream petroleum infrastructure other than a relevant upstream petroleum pipeline.
(3) In this regulation—
“gas processing facilities”, “gas processing operations”, “oil processing facilities” and “oil processing operations” have the meanings given in section 90 of the Energy Act 2011(5);
“relevant offshore installation” has the meaning given in section 9HA of the Petroleum Act 1998(6).
7. A relevant person who is required to retain petroleum-related information under this Part must retain the information until it is provided to the OGA(7) under section 34 of the Energy Act 2016.
“Offshore licence” is defined in section 18(1) of the Energy Act 2016.
S.I. 2008/225. Clause 21 is amended by S.I. 2016/912.
Section 9H of the Petroleum Act 1998 defines “upstream petroleum infrastructure” (and “owners” of such infrastructure) for purposes of s9(A)(1)(b) of that Act, which includes a “relevant upstream petroleum pipeline” as defined in section 82(1) of the Energy Act 2011 (c.16). Section 9H was inserted by section 41 of the Infrastructure Act 2015 (c.7).
Section 44 was amended by paragraph 11 of Schedule 1 to the Energy Act 2008 (c.32).
Section 90 was amended by paragraph 72 of Schedule 1 to the Energy Act 2016.
Section 9HA was inserted by section 73 of the Energy Act 2016.
The OGA is defined as the Oil and Gas Authority in section 1(4) of the Energy Act 2016.