A major update has been published today (4th June) to Petroleum Operations Notice 9 (PON 9).
PON 9 is guidance that sets out the OGA’s requirements for the retention and reporting of information, and physical samples under the terms of seaward licences issued under the 1998 Petroleum Act.
It explains how the OGA will disclose information and samples under licence terms.
In 2018, the OGA published guidance on retention under the 2016 Energy Act regulations and recently published new guidance on reporting and disclosure under the 2016 Act. The OGA intends, where practical, to progress towards exclusive use of these new powers.
However, older licences surrendered before the Energy Act regulations commenced (and for certain information and samples for older wells and surveys not in the scope of the new regulations), the licence terms continue to have effect.
PON 9 explains where the licence requirements continue to apply and how the OGA will apply them. In particular, PON 9 describes what types of information from “legacy” wells should be reported (expanding the scope beyond the limited selection of information types requested in the past) and what geophysical survey information should be reported to the recently launched National Data Repository (NDR).
Nic Granger, Director of Corporate at the Oil and Gas Authority explains: “There is a wealth of information associated with surrendered licences or older wells and surveys held by industry which have never been reported. This information could prove invaluable in unlocking the remaining potential of the UKCS, developing cost effective decommissioning programmes or helping with the Energy Transition.”
Andy Thompson, NDR Manager at the OGA added: “Placing this previously unreported information into the NDR will not only relieve licensees of the burden of retaining it, but will also ensure it is maintained sustainably in the future and can be made publicly available online and at low cost.”
PON 9 is a further piece of guidance which helps support the OGA’s strategy of data transparency - making as much petroleum-related information available as soon as possible, to help maximise value from the UKCS.
The OGA will also use PON 9 to underpin targeted information requests, (for instance, based on information type or area of interest) in support of its wider objectives.
The PON 9 document can be downloaded here.
ENDS