Source: New Zealand Parliament
The bill would amend the Crown Minerals Act 1991 to minimise the risk to the Crown and other third parties of having to carry out and fund decommissioning of petroleum fields. Decommissioning is the process of taking petroleum infrastructure and wells out of service, which may include removing the infrastructure, plugging and abandoning wells, and undertaking necessary site restoration. The proposed changes would apply to all current and future petroleum permit and licence holders.
The bill also seeks to make broader amendments to the Crown Minerals Act, including:
- changing the decision-making process for permit applications so that decision-makers must be satisfied an applicant is “highly likely” to comply with certain conditions, rather than “likely”, before granting a permit
- providing enforcement officers with the power to impose enforceable undertakings and issue compliance notices and infringement notices
- changes to improve the administration of the Act.
Tell the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee what you think
Make a submission on the bill by midnight on 19 August 2021.
For more details about the bill:
ENDS
For media enquiries contact:
Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee staff
edsi@parliament.govt.nz
