(1)

As soon as practicable after a titleholder gives a variation to the Designated Authority, the Designated Authority must:

(a)

accept the variation if the well operations management plan, as varied, would comply with regulation 6; or

(b)

reject the variation; or

(c)

notify the titleholder, in writing, that the Designated Authority is unable to make a decision without further assessment of the variation.

Note
In the majority of cases, a period of 30 days should be sufficient time for making a decision to accept or reject a variation.

(2) If the Designated Authority is unable to make a decision, the Designated Authority must:

(a)

notify the titleholder, in writing, that the Designated Authority is unable to make a decision without further assessment of the variation; and

(b) include in the notification:

(i)

a proposed timetable for assessment of the variation that gives the titleholder a reasonable opportunity to modify or resubmit the variation; and

(ii)

a description of any further information the Designated Authority may require to assist it to assess the variation.

(3) If the Designated Authority further assesses a variation in accordance with subregulation (2), the Designated Authority must, as soon as practicable:

(a)

accept the variation if the well operations management plan, as varied, would comply with regulation 6; or

(b)

reject the variation.

(4)

The Designated Authority may accept a variation subject to any conditions decided by the Designated Authority.

(5) The Designated Authority must notify the titleholder, in writing, of the following matters as soon as practicable after making a decision:

(a)

the terms of the decision;

(b)

if the decision is to reject the variation:

(i)

the reasons for the decision; and

(ii)

for a well activity being carried out in the adjacent area of a Territory mentioned in section 7 of the Act — a statement or summary of the right, under section 152 of the Act, of reconsideration or review of the decision;

(c)

if the decision is to accept the variation, subject to a condition:

(i)

the terms of the condition; and

(ii)

the reason for making the acceptance subject to the condition;

(d)

the effect of regulation 15.