Maintaining petroleum titles

Introduction

This page contains information about the requirements for maintaining a petroleum title after the title has been granted including:

  • payment of annual fees
  • petroleum title reporting requirements
  • petroleum title dealings and transfers
  • petroleum title renewals
  • petroleum title surrender or expiry.

The type of petroleum title granted will govern what you have to do to comply with the conditions and requirements of that title.

Contact

Contact the Energy Titles Unit for assistance by calling 08 8999 5263 or emailing energytitles.ditt@nt.gov.au.


Petroleum title reporting

If you hold a petroleum permit or licence under the Petroleum Act 1984 or the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981, you must comply with the reporting requirements set out in the relevant legislation.

Annual reports

Find out about your annual report requirements.

Surrender and cancellation reports

If you no longer hold a petroleum interest or a part of it, for any reason, you must submit a report to the minister within 3 months of the surrender, expiry or cancellation date.

This report gives the minister detailed information about the exploration and other activities carried out on the relevant interest area during the time you held the permit or licence.

You must use the approved form when submitting the report.

Failure to submit a report is an infringement notice offence. This means that you may be issued an on-the-spot fine for not complying with the reporting requirement.

How to report

There are specific technical requirements about the way you provide your reports and data.

For details about the content, data formats, file naming and media types you should use, read petroleum activities reporting.

For more information, read the guidelines:

Guidelines for reporting and submission of petroleum data PDF (664.2 KB)
Guidelines for reporting and submission of petroleum data DOCX (871.4 KB)

Where to send reports

You can send all petroleum titles reports to the Petroleum Registrar by post or email:

Petroleum Registrar
Energy Development
Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
GPO Box 4550
Darwin NT 0801
energytitles.ditt@nt.gov.au


Petroleum title dealings and transfers

The department is required to record and register all documents relating to petroleum titles under the Petroleum Act 1984 and Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981.

Registration is aimed at maintaining a comprehensive record of titles granted and related transfers and dealings affecting those titles.

You must apply in writing for approval and registration of a dealing affecting a title and include all of the following information:

  • the type of dealing - e.g. farmout, assignment, joint operating agreement
  • brief details of the main effects of the dealing, including who is affected
  • any relevant previous dealings
  • any payment for the dealing, including for relevant previous dealings
  • the nature of any related corporations and other factors necessary for the department to decide whether you need to pay a related corporations registration fee
  • details of the incoming corporation’s financial status and its ability to fund its share of the venture
  • details of the incoming corporation's technical expertise, or access to expertise
  • whether the incoming corporation has any other current or previous involvement in petroleum exploration and development.

The original copy of the agreement to be registered as a dealing must be assessed for stamp duty, or endorsed as exempt, by the Commissioner of Territory Revenue before it is attached to the application.

How to apply

To apply to register a dealing, you must complete the relevant form.

The application you use depends on the Act that your petroleum title falls under:

You must make separate applications for each title affected by a dealing.

You must pay a fee when you register a dealing. Read more about fees and rents.

Any of the parties involved in the transfer of a petroleum title can apply to transfer the title.

A party that has applied for a petroleum title can also apply to transfer its interest in the application to another party.

A change in control of a corporation that is a title holder must also be approved and is assessed in the same way as a transfer. A change in control occurs where a person or group of persons can exercise or control the majority of votes at the corporation’s director or shareholder meetings.

All parties involved in holding a title must agree to the transfer.

You must apply in writing and include all of the following information:

  • names of the companies that will hold the title and details of the proposed participating interests
  • any relevant previous dealings
  • any payment for the relevant previous dealings
  • the nature of any related corporations and other factors necessary for the department to decide whether you need to pay a related corporations registration fee
  • information demonstrating that the proposed transferee, and any associated entity, is an appropriate person to hold the petroleum title.

The new holder of, or party to, the title must be able to prove their financial and technical ability to fulfil the title's conditions and carry out the originally approved work program.

How to apply

To apply to register a transfer, you must complete the relevant form.

The application you use depends on the Act that your petroleum title falls under:

You must make separate applications for each title affected by a transfer.

You must pay a fee when you transfer a title. Read more about fees and rents.


Renew a petroleum title

You can only apply to renew a petroleum title before the original title expires.

You must apply between 3 and 6 months before the expiry date, although applications up to but no later than the expiry date may be accepted in some circumstances.

The title will expire if you don't submit a renewal application before the end of its term. You can't renew an expired title.

The type of title determines the number of times and length of time it can be renewed.

Read the table below.

Once you have applied to renew a title, the existing title remains valid until the minister makes a decision about the renewal.

Summary of title renewal terms

 Petroleum Act 1984Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981
Title typeExploration permitExploration permit
ReferenceEPNTC/P
Term5 years 6 years - 50% relinquishment at end
Renewal term5 years - maximum of 2 renewals5 years - maximum of 2 renewals
Maximum blocks200 (5' block/s)400 (5' block/s)
Title typeRetention licenceRetention lease 
ReferenceRLNTC/RL
Term5 years5 years
Maximum blocks200 (5' block/s)Extent of petroleum pool/location (5' block/s)
Renewal termSubsequent 5 year periods if discovery remains uncommercialSubsequent 5 year periods if discovery remains uncommercial
Title typeProduction licenceProduction licence
ReferenceLNTC/L
Term21 or 25 years21 or 25 years
Renewal termUp to 25 years21 years
Maximum blocks200 (5' block/s)Extent of petroleum pool/location

Reduction of title area on renewal of an exploration permit

The minister may require a reduction of the permit size on renewal.

For more information, read the Petroleum Act 1984.

How to apply for a renewal

To renew a petroleum title, you must apply in writing.

You must include all of the following information:

  • work done during the previous title period
  • proposed work and expenditure program for the following term - exploration and retention titles
  • reasons for wanting a renewal
  • a technical evaluation of the petroleum potential of the area
  • information demonstrating that you, and any associated entity, is an appropriate person to hold the petroleum title.

You must pay a fee to renew a petroleum title. Read more about fees and rents.


Petroleum title surrender or expiry

All titles are granted for a certain period of time under the Petroleum Act 1984 or the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981.

Surrender

You can apply to surrender all or part of a petroleum title at any time.

You don't need to give a reason to surrender the title. However, you can't submit an application unless all:

  • operations in the proposed surrender area have ceased and
  • environmental outcomes, including remediation and rehabilitation of the land, have been met.

How to apply

To surrender a title under the Petroleum Act 1984, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the form.

Consent to surrender a petroleum title form PDF (701.4 KB)
Consent to surrender a petroleum title form DOCX (141.0 KB)

You must include:

  • a statement confirming that pre-conditions to surrender have been met
    • this must include a copy of the notice from the Environment Minister confirming that any approved environment management plan for the proposed surrender area is no longer in force
    • a statement estimating the remaining petroleum resources present in each petroleum pool in the proposed surrender area, including data, assumptions and methodologies the estimates are based on and
    • a list of all outstanding reports and samples in relation to the proposed surrender area.

Step 2. Pay the fee.

After you apply

If the minister is satisfied that you've met all pre-conditions, the application will be accepted.

If it is accepted, you will receive a letter confirming the date the title was surrendered and any requirements you must complete.

You must submit a report within 3 months after surrender.

Failure to submit a report is an infringement notice offence, meaning an on-the spot fine may be issued for non-compliance.

Read more about petroleum title reporting.

Read more about fees and rents.

Expiry

A petroleum title expires when the interest holder chooses not to renew their title at the end of the current granted period.

You must submit a report within 3 months after expiry of a petroleum interest.

Failure to submit a report is an infringement notice offence, meaning an on-the spot fine may be issued for non-compliance.

Read more about petroleum title reporting.


Payment of annual fees for a petroleum title

You must pay the annual fee for a petroleum title for each year the title remains valid.

Payment is due before the anniversary of the grant date.

Read more about fees and rents.


Nominate an agent

You can apply to nominate an agent to act on your behalf for your petroleum title.

This means authorising an agent to deal directly with the department instead of your company.

How to apply

To apply to nominate an agent, follow these steps:

Step 1. Write a request to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade.

Your request must:

  • be on a company letterhead
  • be signed by the agent and titleholder
  • set out specifically the agent’s authority to deal with the title.

Step 2. Submit your request by email to energytitles.ditt@nt.gov.au.