Petroleum activity approvals: Common issues that delay your projects

Be aware of the approvals required for petroleum approvals and the main reasons behind delays in the approvals process.
Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2022

Project approval delays can be caused for different reasons, with some outside of your control as a title holder, while others can be minimised or managed.

When submitting your application to conduct a survey or drill a well, there are a number of factors that can extend your approval timeframe:

Conducting work in reserves or dedicated land areas means that you need to apply for Ministerial Consent to enter under section 15A of the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Resources Act 1967 (PGERA67). DMIRS is required to refer these requests for consent to other government departments or bodies, which is currently taking, on average, a minimum of five months to process.

Conducting work outside of your title boundary will require you to apply for an Access Authority under section 106 of PGERA67 or section 112 of Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1982 (P(SL)A82). This Access Authority must be in place before you can submit your Environment Plan.

Incomplete or inadequate information within an application means delays that could require the withdrawal and resubmission of applications. It is important that applicants lodge all of the required information in order to ensure your application is valid. The minimum requirements are listed in Part 2 – Surveys of the PGER (Environment) Regulations 2012. A common missed step is the lodging of a detailed cadastral map.

To assist title holders even further, here is a list of approvals required to conduct a survey or drill a well.

Activity

Approval required

Application method

Relevant legislation

Comment

Conduct a Survey

Approval to conduct a survey

Lodged through PGR online

PGER (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2015

Minimum requirements listed in Part 2 – Surveys of the PGER (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2015

 

Environment Plan

Lodged via EARS online

PGER (Environment) Regulations 2012

 

 

Ministerial Consent to enter reserved land

Lodged with survey application via PGR online

Approved under s15A of PGERA67 or P(SL)A82

Only required where work is to be conducted in reserved or otherwise dedicated land

 

Access Authority

Lodged with survey application via PGR online

Approved under s106 of PGERA67 or s112 of P(SL)A82

Only required for work being conducted outside the title boundary

Drill a Well

Application to Drill

Lodged through PGR

 

 

 

Well Management Plan

Lodged through PGR

Approved under PGER (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2015

 

 

Environment Plan

Lodged via EARS online

Approved under PGER (Environment) Regulations 2012

 

 

Safety Case/SMS

Email to your Case Manager/cc Chief Inspector Petroleum Safety or to petreps@dmirs.wa.gov.au

Approved under WHS (PGEO) Regulations 2022

 

 

Ministerial Consent to enter reserved land

Lodged with Application to Drill

Approved under s15A of PGERA67 or P(SL)A82

Only required where work is to be conducted in reserved or otherwise dedicated land

 

Access Authority

Lodged with Application to Drill

Approved under s106 of PGERA67 or s112 of P(SL)A82

Only required for work being conducted outside the title boundary