Schedule 4 — Information-gathering powers

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006

1  Paragraph 258(1)(a)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

                     (a)  the grant or renewal of a petroleum exploration permit; or

2   Paragraph 258(1)(c)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

                     (c)  the grant or renewal of a petroleum production licence; or

3  At the end of subsection 258(1)

Add:

               ; or (g)  the variation or suspension of, or exemption from compliance with, the conditions of a title under section 264.

4  At the end of subsection 429(1)

Add:

               ; or (e)  the variation or suspension of, or exemption from compliance with, the conditions of a greenhouse gas title under section 436.

5  At the end of subsection 429A(1)

Add:

               ; or (d)  the variation or suspension of, or exemption from compliance with, the conditions of a greenhouse gas title under section 439A.

6  Subparagraph 699(1)(a)(v)

Omit “or”.

7  At the end of paragraph 699(1)(a)

Add:

                            (vi)  operations relating to decommissioning; or

8  At the end of paragraph 699(1)(b)

Add:

                          ; (vi)  operations relating to decommissioning.

9  After paragraph 699(1)(b)

Insert:

               ; or (c)  the Titles Administrator or a NOPSEMA inspector believes on reasonable grounds that the person has information or a document, or is capable of giving evidence, that relates to any or all of the following:

                              (i)  whether a person has complied or is complying with a requirement under this Act, or a legislative instrument under this Act;

                             (ii)  whether a person has sufficient technical advice and financial resources to carry out the operations referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) and discharge the obligations imposed under this Act, or a legislative instrument under this Act.

10  Subsection 725(1)

Omit all the words after “that relates to”, substitute:

                   : (c)  any or all of the following operations in an offshore area:

                              (i)  operations relating to exploration for a potential greenhouse gas storage formation or a potential greenhouse gas injection site;

                             (ii)  operations relating to the injection of a greenhouse gas substance into the seabed or subsoil;

                            (iii)  operations relating to the storage of a greenhouse gas substance in the seabed or subsoil;

                            (iv)  operations relating to the processing, compression or pre-injection storage of a greenhouse gas substance;

                             (v)  operations relating to the preparation of a greenhouse gas substance for transport;

                            (vi)  operations relating to decommissioning; or

                     (d)  any or all of the following:

                              (i)  whether a person has complied or is complying with a requirement under this Act, or a legislative instrument under this Act;

                             (ii)  whether a person has sufficient technical advice and financial resources to carry out the operations referred to in paragraph (c) and discharge the obligations imposed under this Act, or a legislative instrument under this Act.

11  Application provisions

(1)       The amendments of subsections 258(1), 429(1) and 429A(1) of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 made by this Schedule apply in relation to:

                     (a)  applications made, but not determined, before the commencement of this Schedule; and

                     (b)  applications made on or after the commencement of this Schedule.

(2)       The amendments of sections 699 and 725 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 made by this Schedule apply in relation to notices given on or after the commencement of this Schedule, regardless of whether:

                     (a)  the conduct to which the notice relates occurred before, on or after that commencement; and

                     (b)  the operations to which the notice relates began before, on or after that commencement.