Part 2: Further functions of the OGA relating to offshore petroleum Information and samples plans Sections 30, 31, 32 and 33: Information and samples plans
In the event of the ending of a licensee's interest in all or part of a licence, referred to as a "licence event", an information and samples plan must be prepared. This must be agreed with the OGA before the transfer, surrender or expiry of the licence or as soon as reasonably practicable after the revocation of the licence. Where it is not agreed with the OGA by this time, the OGA may impose a sanction on the responsible person in accordance with Chapter 5 and may draw up its own plan, which will take effect as if agreed with the licensee. To enable it to draw up such a plan, subsection (4)(b) of section 31 provides the OGA with the power to obtain information from the responsible person. A "responsible person" is the person who is or was, or the persons who are or were, the licensee in respect of the relevant licence immediately before the licence event.
	The information and samples plan will deal with what is to happen to petroleum related information and samples held by the responsible person prior to the licence event taking place. When a plan takes effect, either on agreement or after imposition, the responsible person must comply with it. These plans may be amended by agreement between all the parties to the plan, except where one of the parties has been dissolved, in which case that party's consent is not required.
	Once a plan is agreed, the retention requirements imposed by regulations made under section 28 will cease to have effect in relation to such information and samples as are dealt with in the plan, and the retention of that information and those samples will be in accordance with the plan.
	Section 33 sets out that an information and samples plan may provide, amongst other things, for the storage of information and samples to be the responsibility of the OGA or for the transfer of information and samples to a new licensee or a person holding a carbon dioxide storage licence under section 18 of the Energy Act 2008. However, no obligations may be placed on a person other than the responsible person without their consent. A plan which is prepared by the OGA may not provide for the transfer of information and samples without the consent of the responsible person.
	Where there has been a transfer of rights under an offshore petroleum licence for only part of a licenced area, the information and samples plan must relate to all petroleum-related information and samples held before the transfer, not just those in respect of the area being transferred.