The Weekly Law Reports
[2021] 4 WLR 85
Queen’s Bench Division
Apache UK Investment Ltd v Esso Exploration and Production UK Ltd
[2021] EWHC 1283 (Comm)
2021 May 10;
17
17
Charles Hollander QC sitting as a deputy High Court judge
Mines— Petroleum and natural gas— Petroleum exploration and development licence— Licence in hydrocarbon-producing fields sold by defendant to claimant— Claimant agreeing to indemnify defendant for decommissioning-related expenditure imposed by Secretary of State under statute— Secretary of State prior to sale issuing notices under statute in relation to fields— Whether additional wells constructed years after sale falling within notices— Whether fields “offshore installation” and therefore covered by notices— Whether additional wells “offshore installation”— Effect of wells being constructed after notices sent— Whether claimant required to provide security to cover additional wells—
Petroleum Act 1998 (c 17), ss 29, 34(1)(b), 44