The Oil and Gas Authority (Levy and Fees) Regulations 2026

10 Amendments to the Oil and Gas Authority (Fees) Regulations 2016

(1) The Oil and Gas Authority (Fees) Regulations 2016 are amended as follows. (2) In regulation 2 (interpretation), insert the following definitions in the appropriate places— “carbon dioxide storage site” means a storage site within the meaning given by regulation 1(4) of the Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Licensing etc.) Regulations 2010; “carbon dioxide storage well” means a well— drilled pursuant to a carbon dioxide appraisal and storage licence; or used in connection with activities authorised by such a licence; “carbon dioxide storage well injection test” means a test of the injection of any fluid into a carbon dioxide storage well for the purposes of appraising a carbon dioxide storage site; “extended carbon dioxide storage well injection test” means any carbon dioxide storage well injection test which has a total duration of fluid injection of 96 hours or more; “standard carbon dioxide storage well injection test” means any carbon dioxide storage well injection test which is not an extended carbon dioxide storage well injection test; . (3) In regulation 3 (applications of a prescribed description)— (a) in paragraph (1)— (i) omit sub-paragraph (k), (ii) in sub-paragraph (p) omit the words from “under” to the end, (iii) in sub-paragraph (s) for “extend” substitute “amend”, and (iv) in sub-paragraph (t) for “extend” substitute “amend”, (b) in paragraph (3)— (i) in sub-paragraph (g) for “extend” substitute “amend”, and (ii) after sub-paragraph (k) insert— (l) an application for consent to drill a primary carbon dioxide storage well, including wells for appraisal, development and injection of carbon dioxide, monitoring, and brine production; (m) an application for consent to drill a sidetrack carbon dioxide storage well branching off from the principal carbon dioxide storage well to a target location different from that of the principal well; (n) an application for consent to fit or refit equipment in a carbon dioxide storage well for the purpose of enabling carbon dioxide appraisal, development and injection or to remove such equipment; (o) an application for consent to a carbon dioxide storage well suspension; (p) an application for consent to abandon a carbon dioxide storage well permanently; (q) an application for consent to re-enter a carbon dioxide storage well to carry out remediation or other works in connection with carbon dioxide storage; (r) an application for consent to a standard carbon dioxide storage well injection test; (s) an application for consent to an extended carbon dioxide storage well injection test; (t) an application for consent to an amount of financial security maintained by an operator of a carbon dioxide storage site in accordance with the provisions of a carbon dioxide storage permit; (u) an application for consent to store gas pursuant to a gas storage licence, including injection of gas and recovery of stored gas. . (4) In regulation 4 (fees payable for consents and pipeline works authorisations)— (a) in paragraph (1)— (i) omit sub-paragraph (f) and the “or” after it, and (ii) at the end of sub-paragraph (g) insert “; or (h) an amount of financial security maintained by an operator of a carbon dioxide storage site in accordance with the provisions of a carbon dioxide storage permit. , (b) in paragraph (2)— (i) omit the “or” after paragraph (f), and (ii) after paragraph (g) insert— (h) a consent to flare or vent natural gas from a relevant oil processing facility or a relevant gas processing facility; or (i) a variation of a consent to flare or vent natural gas from a relevant oil processing facility or a relevant gas processing facility. , (c) in paragraph (3), in the formula, for “£610” substitute “£710”, (d) in paragraph (7), after “programme” insert “, or for consent to a carbon dioxide storage proposal,”, (e) in paragraph (8), in the formula, for “£610” substitute “£710”, (f) in paragraph (9), in the definition of “B”, at the end, insert “, or an application for consent to a carbon dioxide storage proposal”, (g) in paragraph (10), after “programme” insert “, or an application for consent to a carbon dioxide storage proposal,”, (h) in paragraph (11), in the formula, for “£610” substitute “£710”, (i) in paragraph (12), in the definition of “B”, at the end, insert “, or an application for consent to a carbon dioxide storage proposal”, (j) for the table following paragraph (13), substitute the table below— Application for consent to or authorisation for activity or matter | Fee payable Pipeline works authorisation | £4,010 Category 1 pipeline works authorisation variation | £4,010 Category 2 pipeline works authorisation variation | £2,430 Variation of holder, user, owner or operator of a pipeline under a pipeline works authorisation | £2,430 Consent to a pipeline deposit proposal | £2,080 Pipeline works authorisation and deposit consents granted following the OGA receiving confirmation in writing of the last day of production from the relevant petroleum field | £2,430 Consent to get petroleum from a licensed area | £1,440 Variation of a consent to get petroleum from a licensed area | £1,440 Consent to flare or vent petroleum from a well | £1,080 Variation of a consent to flare or vent petroleum from a well | £1,080 Consent to flare or vent natural gas from a relevant oil processing facility or a relevant gas processing facility | £360 Variation of a consent to flare or vent natural gas from a relevant oil processing facility or a relevant gas processing facility | £360 , (k) in paragraph (15)(b), for “sub-paragraphs (d) to (g)” substitute “sub-paragraphs (d) to (i)”, and (l) after paragraph (15), insert— (15A) In this regulation, “relevant gas processing facility” and “relevant oil processing facility” have the meanings given in sections 82(3) and 90 of the Energy Act 2011. . (5) For regulation 6 (fixed fees payable for other consents) substitute— Fixed fees payable for other consents 6 (1) A licensee who makes an application to the OGA for consent to an activity or matter listed in the first column of the table following paragraph (4) must pay— (a) the corresponding fee in the second column of that table; or (b) double that corresponding fee where paragraph (2) applies. (2) This paragraph applies where— (a) the OGA receives— (i) an application for consent to amend the initial, second or final term of a petroleum licence; or (ii) an application for consent to amend the final phase of the initial term of a petroleum licence; and (b) the OGA notifies, in writing, the licensee making the application that the OGA requires additional information in order to determine the application. (3) Subject to paragraph (4), the licensee must pay any fee payable under paragraph (1) at the time of making the application, unless the OGA notifies the licensee in writing that the fee may be paid at a later date. (4) Where the fee payable under paragraph (1) is for one of the following applications, the licensee must pay the fee within 30 days of the OGA notifying the licensee of the determination of the application unless the OGA notifies the licensee in writing that the licensee may pay the fee at a later date— (a) an application for consent to amend the initial, second or final term of a petroleum licence; (b) an application for consent to amend the final phase of the initial term of a petroleum licence; (c) an application for consent to amend a work programme; (d) an application for consent to amend a carbon dioxide storage work programme; (e) an application for consent to store gas pursuant to a gas storage licence, including injection of gas and recovery of stored gas. Fees for other consents Activity or matter requiring consent | Fee payable Methodology proposed for the measurement of petroleum | £1,440 Drill a primary well (other than a primary carbon dioxide storage well) | £1,210 Drill a sidetrack well (other than a sidetrack carbon dioxide storage well) branching off from the principal well to a target location different from that of the principal well | £1,010 Fit or refit equipment in a well for the purpose of enabling hydrocarbon production or injection | £500 Well suspension (other than carbon dioxide storage well suspension) | £1,050 Abandon a well (other than a carbon dioxide storage well) permanently | £1,050 Drill stem test | £400 Extended well test | £1,110 Change of licensee of a petroleum licence | £1,580 Change of the beneficiary of rights granted by a petroleum licence | £1,580 Appointment of an operator under a petroleum licence | £1,360 Amendment of the initial, second or final term of a petroleum licence | £5,840 Amendment of the final phase of the initial term of a petroleum licence | £5,840 Amendment of a work programme | £5,840 Drill a primary carbon dioxide storage well, including wells for appraisal, development and injection of carbon dioxide, monitoring, and brine production | £1,210 Drill a sidetrack carbon dioxide storage well branching off from the principal carbon dioxide storage well to a target location different from that of the principal well | £1,010 Fit or refit equipment in a carbon dioxide storage well for the purpose of enabling carbon dioxide appraisal, development and injection or to remove such equipment | £500 Carbon dioxide storage well suspension | £1,050 Abandon a carbon dioxide storage well permanently | £1,050 Re-enter a carbon dioxide storage well to carry out remediation or other works in connection with carbon dioxide storage | £1,050 Standard carbon dioxide storage well injection test | £400 Extended carbon dioxide storage well injection test | £1,110 Change of licensee of a carbon dioxide appraisal and storage licence | £1,580 Change of the beneficiary of rights granted by a carbon dioxide appraisal and storage licence | £1,580 Appointment of an exploration operator under a carbon dioxide appraisal and storage licence | £1,360 Appointment of a storage operator under a carbon dioxide appraisal and storage licence | £1,360 Amendment of the initial or appraisal term of a carbon dioxide appraisal and storage licence | £5,840 Amendment of a carbon dioxide storage work programme | £3,280 Store gas pursuant to a gas storage licence, including injection of gas and recovery of stored gas | £1,440 . (6) In regulation 6A(1) (fees payable for consent to retention or development area proposals), for “£1,250” substitute “£1,960”. (7) In regulation 6B(1) (fees payable for determination of oil fields), for “£5,340” substitute “£5,670”. (8) In regulation 6C (fees payable for metering examinations and tests), for the table following paragraph (3), substitute the table below— Type of metering examination or test | Fee payable Metering examination under a seaward area production licence | £3,330 Metering examination under a petroleum exploration and development licence | £4,020 Meter flow calibration for measurement of petroleum | £2,170 Measurement of carbon dioxide injection flow rate | £4,020 . (9) In regulation 6D (fees payable for approval of well or installation operators), for paragraphs (1) and (2) substitute— (1) A licensee must pay a fee where— (a) the licensee applies to the OGA for approval of the appointment of a well or installation operator; and (b) the OGA consults the competent authority under regulation 5(3) of the Offshore Safety Directive Regulations. (2) The amount of the fee under paragraph (1) is determined by the formula— £ 490 + A (2A) In paragraph (2), A is a reference to the sum of the fees charged by the competent authority when providing advice in accordance with the competent authority’s functions as a consultee under the following provisions— (a) section 13(6) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (powers of the Executive); and (b) regulation 13A of the Offshore Safety Directive Regulations (fees). . (10) In regulation 7 (fees payable for applications for petroleum licences), in the table following paragraph (2), in the entry for the fee payable for an application for— (a) a seaward petroleum exploration licence, for “£2,460” substitute “£3,630”, and (b) a methane drainage licence, for “£200” substitute “£3,630”. (11) In regulation 8(1) (fees payable for applications for gas storage licences), for “£9,860” substitute “£10,890”. (12) In regulation 9(1) (fees payable for applications for carbon dioxide appraisal and storage licences), for “£19,710” substitute “£21,770”.