Changes to regulations to recover costs of services under Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2005 (as amended); and Offshore Chemicals Regulations 2002 (as amended)
The government is seeking the views of the oil and gas industry and other interested stakeholders, particularly those upon whom the new charges would apply, namely installation and well operators, on its proposal to amend OPPC and OCR to permit charging for certain regulatory services where there is not currently the power to charge.
BEIS has identified that it has not been recovering the cost of certain services provided to industry as part of carrying out its statutory regulatory functions under the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Oil Pollution Prevention And Control) Regulations 2005 (as amended) – “OPPC” – and the Offshore Chemicals Regulations 2002 (as amended) – “OCR”. Under the relevant primary legislation for these Regulations, the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999, the Secretary of State has the power to make regulations which authorise the Secretary of State to make charging schemes. Before making such regulations, the Secretary of State must engage in consultation. If, following the consultation, it is decided to proceed with amending these Regulations, their corresponding charging schemes would also be amended.