The Offshore Gas Storage and Unloading (Licensing) Regulations 2009
These Regulations are made under Part 1, Chapter 2, of the Energy Act 2008 (“the 2008 Act”), which establishes a new licensing regime for the offshore storage and unloading of combustible gas. Except in relation to the unloading of gas to a pipeline, the provisions of that Chapter are commenced by the Energy Act 2008 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2009 (SI 2009/2809 (C. 123)). The offshore area to which the regime applies comprises both the United Kingdom territorial sea, and the Gas Importation and Storage Zone designated under section 1(5) of the 2008 Act (see S.I. 2009/223). These Regulations lay down, in particular, model clauses for a category of licence granted under section 4 of the 2008 Act. Model clauses are deemed to be incorporated into the licences for which they are prescribed, unless the Secretary of State decides to exclude or modify them in any particular case. Model clauses for a category of licence granted under section 4 are also prescribed by the Offshore Exploration (Petroleum, and Gas Storage and Unloading) (Model Clauses) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2814) (“the Exploration Licence Regulations”).