Petroleum (Exploration and Exploitation) Act.

This Act provides for the granting of petroleum exploration licences, production licences and pipeline licences, for the payment of compensation for damage to land and surface rent payable for disturbance of surface rights, and for various other matters relative to exploration and exploitation of petroleum onshore and offshore in Fiji. Applications for all types of licences shall include a written statement to the satisfaction of the Minister assessing potential environmental impact of the proposed operation. The Minister may authorize entry onto lands for purpose of survey pursuant to section 36. No rights granted under the provisions of this Act shall be exercised in such a way as to cause damage to any land not occupied by the holder of a licence under the provisions of this Act. Every person carrying on any operations in a designated area under the authority of any licence shall carry on those operations in such a manner as not to interfere with navigation, fishing, the conservation of the natural resources of the sea or seabed or other specified operations to a greater extent than is necessary for the reasonable exercise of the rights and performance of the duties (sects. 82 and 83).