Section 356J | “Authorisation of development”: drilling and extraction sites
From legislation.gov.uk
(1)References in this Chapter to authorisation of development of a site are to be interpreted as follows in relation to a drilling and extraction site that is situated in, or used in connection with, a licensed area.
(2)The references are to be read as references to a national authority—
(a)granting a licensee consent for development of the licensed area,
(b)serving on a licensee a programme of development for the licensed area, or
(c)approving a programme of development for the licensed area.
(3)References in subsection (2) to a “licensee” are to a licensee in the licensed area mentioned in subsection (1).
“consent for development”, in relation to a licensed area, does not include consent which is limited to the purpose of testing the characteristics of an oil-bearing area;
“development”, in relation to a licensed area, means winning oil from the licensed area otherwise than in the course of searching for oil or drilling wells;
“national authority” means—
(a)the OGA, ...
(aza)the Scottish Ministers,
(aa)the Welsh Ministers, or
(b)a Northern Ireland Department.