petroleum exploration

3 The disposal or storage of wastes or other matter directly arising from, or related to the exploration, exploitation and associated off-shore processing of seabed mineral resources is not covered by the provisions of this Protocol.

EXPLORATION FOR AND EXTRACTION OF OIL OR GAS

CONTRACTING ENTITIES IN THE SECTORS OF EXPLORATION FOR AND EXTRACTION OF OIL OR GAS

- exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels,

exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, or

the following is added to Annex IV"EXPLORATION FOR AND EXTRACTION OF OIL OR GAS":

the following is added to Annex IV "EXPLORATION FOR AND EXTRACTION OF OIL OR GAS":

Entities authorised to explore for or extract oil or gas pursuant to the Mineralrohstoffgesetz, BGBl.

Exploration for, or extraction of, oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, as well as ports and airports

Entities granted an authorisation, license, permit or concession to explore for or extract oil and gas pursuant to the following legal provisions:

Entities responsible for exploration for and the extraction of oil or gas pursuant to the code minier and its implementing rules, particularly Decree No 95-427 of 19 April 1995.

Entities holding a concession for exploring for or exploiting oil or gas pursuant to minerallagen (1991:45) or which have been granted an authorisation pursuant to lagen (1966:314) om kontinentalsockeln.

Entities granted an authorisation, permit, licence or concession to explore for or extract oil and gas or to store natural gas underground pursuant to the following legislative provisions:

It has to be ensured, however, that this will be without prejudice to Commission Decision 93/676/EEC of 10 December 1993 establishing that the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil or gas does not constitute in the Netherlands an activity defined by Article 2(2)(b)(i) of Council Directive 90/531/EEC and that entities carrying on such an activity are not to be considered in the Netherlands as operating under special or exclusive rights within the meaning of Article 2(3)(b) of the Directive(14), Commission Decision 97/367/EC of 30 May 1997 establishing that the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil or gas does not constitute in the United Kingdom an activity defined by Article 2(2)(b)(i) of Council Directive 93/38/EEC and that entities carrying on such an activity are not to be considered in the United Kingdom as operating under special or exclusive rights within the meaning of Article 2(3)(b) of the Directive(15), Commission Decision 2002/205/EC of 4 March 2002 following a request by Austria applying for the special regime provided for in Article 3 of Directive 93/38/EEC(16) and Commission Decision 2004/73/EC on a request from Germany to apply the special procedure laid down in Article 3 of Directive 93/38/EEC(17).

To forestall the proliferation of specific arrangements applicable to certain sectors only, the current special arrangements created by Article 3 of Directive 93/38/EEC and Article 12 of Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons(13) governing entities exploiting a geographical area for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels should be replaced by the general procedure allowing for exemption of sectors directly exposed to competition.

Ministerial Department responsible for Oil Exploration and Production

Exploration for and extraction of oil or gas

EXPLORATION FOR AND EXTRACTION OF OIL OR GAS

(b) Exploration for and extraction of oil or gas

exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, or

Exploration (Prospecting and Drilling) for Petroleum and Natural Gas

(ii) the exploitation of a geographical area for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels;

The entities granted an authorisation, permit, licence or concession to explore for or extract oil and gas pursuant to the following legal provisions:

The entities granted an authorization, permit, licence or concession to explore for or extract oil and gas pursuant to the following legal provisions:

Entities holding a concession for exploring for or exploiting oil or gas under minerallagen (1991:45) or which have been granted an authorisation pursuant to lagen (1966:314) om kontinentalsockeln.

Whereas, when specific conditions are fulfilled, exploitation of a geographical area with the aim of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels may be made subject to alternative arrangements which will enable the same objective of opening up contracts to be achieved;

As regards individual concessions or authorizations granted before the date on which Member States apply this Directive in accordance with Article 45, paragraph 1 (a), (b) and (c) shall not apply, provided that at that date other entities are free to seek authorization for the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, on a non-discriminatory basis and in the light of objective criteria.

Council Directive 69/82/EEC of 13 March 1969 concerning the attainment of freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services in respect of activities of self-employed persons engaging in exploration (prospecting and drilling) for petroleum and natural gas (ISIC ex Major Group 13) (OJ No L 68, 19.3.1969, p. 4), as amended by:

Member States may request the Commission to provide that exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels shall not be considered to be an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (b) (i) and that entities shall not be considered as operating under special or exclusive rights within the meaning of Article 2 (3) (b) by virtue of carrying on one or more of these activities, provided that all the following conditions are satisfied with respect to the relevant national provisions concerning such activities:

CONTRACTING ENTITIES IN THE SECTORS OF EXPLORATION FOR AND EXTRACTION OF OIL OR GAS

prospecting and exploration for, and extraction of, e.g., oil, gas, coal and uranium;

Entities authorised to explore for or extract oil or gas pursuant to the Mineralrohstoffgesetz, BGBl.

lease agreements to explore for or use minerals, oil, natural gas and similar non-regenerative resources;

Exploration for, or extraction of, oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, as well as ports and airports

waste resulting from the exploration for, and the exploitation of, oil and gas resources from off-shore installations and incinerated on board the installation;

mineral rights and expenditure on the exploration for, or development and extraction of, minerals, oil, natural gas and similar non-regenerative resources;

Entities granted an authorisation, license, permit or concession to explore for or extract oil and gas pursuant to the following legal provisions:

Entities responsible for exploration for and the extraction of oil or gas pursuant to the code minier and its implementing rules, particularly Decree No 95-427 of 19 April 1995.

Entities holding a concession for exploring for or exploiting oil or gas pursuant to minerallagen (1991:45) or which have been granted an authorisation pursuant to lagen (1966:314) om kontinentalsockeln.

Entities granted an authorisation, permit, licence or concession to explore for or extract oil and gas or to store natural gas underground pursuant to the following legislative provisions:

As regards the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of prospecting for or extracting oil or gas, paragraphs 1 to 4 shall apply as follows from the date on which the Member State concerned has complied with the provisions of the European Parliament and Council Directive 94/22/EC of 30 May on the conditions for granting and using authorizations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons (*):

It has to be ensured, however, that this will be without prejudice to Commission Decision 93/676/EEC of 10 December 1993 establishing that the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil or gas does not constitute in the Netherlands an activity defined by Article 2(2)(b)(i) of Council Directive 90/531/EEC and that entities carrying on such an activity are not to be considered in the Netherlands as operating under special or exclusive rights within the meaning of Article 2(3)(b) of the Directive(14), Commission Decision 97/367/EC of 30 May 1997 establishing that the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil or gas does not constitute in the United Kingdom an activity defined by Article 2(2)(b)(i) of Council Directive 93/38/EEC and that entities carrying on such an activity are not to be considered in the United Kingdom as operating under special or exclusive rights within the meaning of Article 2(3)(b) of the Directive(15), Commission Decision 2002/205/EC of 4 March 2002 following a request by Austria applying for the special regime provided for in Article 3 of Directive 93/38/EEC(16) and Commission Decision 2004/73/EC on a request from Germany to apply the special procedure laid down in Article 3 of Directive 93/38/EEC(17).

To forestall the proliferation of specific arrangements applicable to certain sectors only, the current special arrangements created by Article 3 of Directive 93/38/EEC and Article 12 of Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons(13) governing entities exploiting a geographical area for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels should be replaced by the general procedure allowing for exemption of sectors directly exposed to competition.

the exploitation of a geographical area for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels;