Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act (S.C. 1987, c. 3)

DIVISION IVProduction

Commercial Discoveries

Marginal note:Application for declaration of commercial discovery

• 78 (1) Subject to section 124, where a commercial discovery has been made on any portion of the offshore area that is subject to an interest or a share therein held in accordance with section 66, the Board shall, on the application of the interest holder of the interest or the share made in the form and manner and containing such information as may be prescribed, make a written declaration of commercial discovery in relation to those portions of the offshore area in respect of which there are reasonable grounds to believe that the commercial discovery may extend.

• Marginal note:Declaration on initiative of Board

  (2) Subject to section 124, where a commercial discovery has been made on any portion of the offshore area, the Board may, by order, make a declaration of commercial discovery in relation to those portions of the offshore area in respect of which there are reasonable grounds to believe that the commercial discovery may extend.

• Marginal note:Application of certain provisions

  (3) Subsections 71(3), (4) and (6) apply, with such modifications as the circumstances require, with respect to a declaration made pursuant to subsection (1) or (2).

Development Orders

Marginal note:Notice of order to reduce term of interest

• 79 (1) Subject to sections 31 to 40, the Board may, at any time after making a declaration of commercial discovery, give notice to the interest owner of any interest in relation to any portion of the commercial discovery area where commercial production of petroleum has not commenced before that time stating that, after such period of not less than six months as may be specified in the notice, an order may be made reducing the term of that interest.

• Marginal note:Opportunity for submissions

  (2) During the period specified in a notice sent to an interest owner under subsection (1), the Board shall provide a reasonable opportunity for the interest owner to make such submissions as the interest owner considers relevant to determining whether the Board should make an order reducing the term of the relevant interest.

• Marginal note:Order reducing term of interest

  (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act but subject to sections 31 to 40, where the Board is of the opinion that it is in the public interest, the Board may, at any time not later than six months after the expiration of the period specified in a notice in respect of an interest sent under subsection (1), by order subject to section 124, reduce the term of the interest to three years after the date the order is made or such longer period as may be specified in the order.

• Marginal note:All interests cease

  (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act but subject to subsections (5) and (6), where an order is made under subsection (3), any interest in respect of a portion of the offshore area within the area to which the interest that is the subject of the order applied on the date the order was made ceases to have effect at the end of the period specified in the order.

• Marginal note:Order ceases to have effect where production commences

  (5) Where commercial production of petroleum on any portion of the offshore area referred to in subsection (4) commences before the expiration of the period specified in an order made under subsection (3) or the period extended pursuant to subsection (6), the order ceases to have effect and is deemed to have been vacated.

• Marginal note:Extension of period

  (6) Subject to sections 31 to 40, the Board may extend the period specified in an order made under subsection (3) or may revoke the order.

Issuance of Production Licences

Marginal note:Rights under production licence

• 80 (1) A production licence confers, with respect to the portions of the offshore area to which the licence applies,

  • (a) the right to explore for, and the exclusive right to drill and test for, petroleum;

  • (b) the exclusive right to develop those portions of the offshore area in order to produce petroleum;

  • (c) the exclusive right to produce petroleum from those portions of the offshore area; and

  • (d) title to the petroleum so produced.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Board may, subject to such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate, authorize any interest holder of an interest or a share therein to produce petroleum on the portions of the offshore area subject to the interest or share for use in the exploration or drilling for or development of petroleum on any portion of the offshore area.

Marginal note:Issuance of production licence

• 81 (1) Subject to section 87, the Board, on application made in the form and manner and containing such information as may be prescribed,

  • (a) shall issue a production licence to one interest owner, in respect of any one commercial discovery area or portion thereof that is subject to an exploration licence or a significant discovery licence held by that interest owner; and

  • (b) may, subject to such terms and conditions as may be agreed on by the Board and the relevant interest owners and to sections 31 to 40, issue a production licence to

    • (i) one interest owner, in respect of two or more commercial discovery areas or portions thereof that are subject to an exploration licence or a significant discovery licence held by that interest owner, or

    • (ii) two or more interest owners, in respect of one or more commercial discovery areas or portions thereof that are subject to an exploration licence or a significant discovery licence held by any of those interest owners.

• Marginal note:Production licence in relation to Crown reserve areas

  (2) Where a declaration of commercial discovery is in force and the commercial discovery area extends to a Crown reserve area, the Board may, after making a call for bids in relation to that Crown reserve area or any portion thereof and selecting a bid submitted in response to the call in accordance with subsection 59(1), issue a production licence to the person who submitted that bid in relation to the Crown reserve area specified in the call.

• Marginal note:Fundamental decision

  (3) The making of a call for bids and the issuance of a production licence by the Board pursuant to subsection (2) is subject to sections 31 to 40.

• Marginal note:Terms and conditions of production licence

  (4) A production licence shall be in the form prescribed and may contain any terms and conditions, not inconsistent with this Part or the regulations, as may be agreed on by the Board, subject to sections 31 to 40, and the interest owner of the production licence.

Marginal note:Consolidation of production licences

82 Subject to sections 31 to 40, the Board may, on the application of the interest owners of two or more production licences, consolidate those production licences into a single production licence, on such terms and conditions as may be agreed on by the Board and those interest owners.

Marginal note:Reduction of area subject to production licence

• 83 (1) Where a commercial discovery area in relation to a declaration of commercial discovery is decreased pursuant to an amendment made under subsections 71(4) and 78(3), any production licence that was issued on the basis of that declaration shall be amended by decreasing accordingly the portions of the offshore area subject to that licence.

• Marginal note:Increase in areas subject to production licence

  (2) Where a commercial discovery area in relation to a declaration of commercial discovery is increased pursuant to an amendment made under subsections 71(4) and 78(3), any production licence that was issued on the basis of that declaration shall be amended to include all portions of the amended commercial discovery area that are subject to an exploration licence or a significant discovery licence held by the interest owner of that production licence at the time the commercial discovery area is so increased.

Marginal note:Term of production licence

• 84 (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4), a production licence is effective from the date it is issued and shall be issued for a term of twenty-five years.

• Marginal note:Idem

  (2) Where a declaration of commercial discovery on the basis of which a production licence was issued is, pursuant to subsections 71(4) and 78(3), revoked or amended to exclude all portions of the commercial discovery area in relation to which the production licence was issued, the production licence ceases to be in force.

• Marginal note:Automatic extension of term

  (3) Where, on the expiration of the term of a production licence, petroleum is being produced commercially, the term is extended for such period thereafter during which commercial production of petroleum continues.

• Marginal note:Discretionary extension of term

  (4) Subject to sections 31 to 40, the Board may, by order, on such terms and conditions as may be specified in the order, extend the term of a production licence where

  • (a) commercial production of petroleum from the portions of the offshore area subject to the licence ceases before or on the expiration of the twenty-five year term of the production licence and the Board has reasonable grounds to believe that commercial production from such portions of the offshore area will recommence; or

  • (b) the Board has reasonable grounds to believe that commercial production of petroleum from such portions of the offshore area will, at any time before or after the expiration of the term of the licence, cease during any period and thereafter recommence.

Marginal note:Lapsing of other interests

• 85 (1) On the issuance of a production licence, any interest in relation to the portions of the offshore area in respect of which the production licence is issued held immediately prior to the issuance of the production licence ceases to have effect in relation to such portions of the offshore area, but otherwise continues to have effect according to its terms and the provisions of this Act.

• Marginal note:Areas become Crown reserve areas on expiration of term

  (2) On the expiration of a production licence, the portions of the offshore area in relation to which the production licence was issued become Crown reserve areas.

Subsurface Storage Licences

Marginal note:Licence for subsurface storage

• 86 (1) The Board may, subject to any terms and conditions the Board considers appropriate, issue a licence for the purpose of subsurface storage of petroleum or any other substance approved by the Board in portions of the offshore area at depths greater than twenty metres.

• Marginal note:Prohibition

  (2) No portion of the offshore area shall be used for a purpose referred to in subsection (1) without a licence referred to therein.

Qualification for Production Licence

Marginal note:Qualification for production licence

87 No production licence or share in a production licence may be held by any person other than a corporation incorporated in Canada.

DIVISION V[Repealed, 1993, c. 47, s. 8]

DIVISION VIRoyalties

Interpretation

Definition of Petroleum and Natural Gas Act

• 97 (1) In this Division, Petroleum and Natural Gas Act means Part II of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act, R.S.N.L. 1990, c. P-10, as amended from time to time.

• Marginal note:Royalties

  (2) There is hereby reserved to Her Majesty in right of Canada and each holder of a share in a production licence is liable for and shall pay to Her Majesty in right of Canada, in accordance with subsection (4), the royalties, interest and penalties that would be payable in respect of petroleum under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act if the petroleum were produced from areas within the Province.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), where petroleum is subject to a royalty under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act, that petroleum is not subject to a royalty under subsection (2).

• Marginal note:Application of Newfoundland and Labrador legislation

  (4) Subject to this Act and the regulations, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act and the regulations referred to in subsection (4.1) apply, with any modifications that the circumstances require, for the purposes of this section and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

  • (a) a reference in that Act to Her Majesty in Right of the province is to be read as a reference to Her Majesty in right of Canada; and

  • (b) a reference in that Act to the province is to be read as a reference to the offshore area.

• Marginal note:Application of Newfoundland and Labrador regulations

  (4.1) The following regulations apply for the purposes of subsection (4):

  • (a) any regulations made under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act; and

  • (b) any regulations made under an Act that was replaced by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act, to the extent that those regulations remain in force in accordance with the laws of the Province and are not inconsistent with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act.

• Marginal note:No Crown share

  (5) No provision of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act or any regulation made thereunder shall apply so as to reserve to Her Majesty a Crown share in any interest issued in respect of any portion of the offshore area.

Marginal note:Power to collect

• 98 (1) Subject to subsection (6), where an agreement is entered into pursuant to subsection (3), royalties, interest and penalties payable under section 97 may be collected and administered and refunds in respect thereof may be granted on behalf of the Government of Canada in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement, as amended from time to time pursuant to subsection (4).

• Marginal note:Negotiation of agreement

  (2) The Federal Minister shall, on the request of the Government of the Province or the Board, negotiate an agreement with the Provincial Minister and the Board with respect to the collection and administration of the royalties, interest and penalties payable under section 97.

• Marginal note:Agreement

  (3) On completion of the negotiation of an agreement pursuant to subsection (2), the Federal Minister, with the approval of the Governor in Council, shall, on behalf of the Government of Canada, enter into an agreement with the Government of the Province and the Board pursuant to which the Board shall, on behalf of the Government of Canada, collect and administer the royalties, interest and penalties payable under section 97 and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, grant refunds or make other payments in respect of those royalties, interest and penalties in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the agreement.

• Marginal note:Amendments to the agreement

  (4) The Federal Minister, with the approval of the Governor in Council, may, on behalf of the Government of Canada, enter into an agreement amending the terms and conditions of any agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (3).

• Marginal note:Proof of provision of agreement

  (5) A document purporting to be an agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (3) or (4) that is

  • (a) published in the Canada Gazette, or

  • (b) certified as such by, or on behalf of, the Minister of National Revenue, the Receiver General, the Deputy Receiver General or the Federal Minister

  is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, evidence of the contents thereof and is admissible in evidence without proof of the signature or official character of the person purporting to have certified it.

• Marginal note:No further liability

  (6) An administration agreement may provide that, where any payment is received by the Government of the Province on account of any royalties, interest, penalties or other sum payable by a person under

  • (a) section 97, or

  • (b) both

    • (i) section 97, and

    • (ii) the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act,

  the payment so received may be applied by the Government of the Province towards the royalties, interest, penalties or other sums payable by the person under any such provision or Act in such manner as is specified in the agreement, notwithstanding that the person directed that the payment be applied in any other manner or made no direction as to its application.

• Marginal note:Idem

  (7) Any payment or part thereof applied by the Government of the Province in accordance with an administration agreement towards the royalties, interest, penalties or other sums payable by a person under section 97,

  • (a) relieves that person of liability to pay such royalties, interest, penalties or other sums to the extent of the payment or part thereof so applied; and

  • (b) shall be deemed to have been applied in accordance with a direction made by that person.