South Australian Current Regulations

HARBORS AND NAVIGATION REGULATIONS 2023 - REG 140

140—Vessels excluded from vicinity of oil rigs

        (1)         Vessels are prohibited from entering or remaining in waters within 500 m of a vessel or structure engaged in petroleum exploration consisting of—

            (a)         drilling, or operations associated with drilling, subjacent land; or

            (b)         tests carried out subsequently for the purposes of discovering petroleum or ascertaining the quality and quantity of petroleum discovered (including tests involving the recovery of petroleum).

        (2)         The distance referred to in subregulation (1) is to be measured from each point of the outer edge of the vessel or structure or any anchor, buoy or other equipment deployed from the vessel or structure.

        (3)         If a vessel enters or remains in waters in contravention of this regulation, the owner and operator of the vessel are each guilty of an offence (but it is a defence to a charge of such an offence brought against the owner for the owner to prove that the vessel was operated in the manner constituting the offence without the owner's consent).

Maximum penalty: $5 000.

        (4)         This regulation does not apply to vessels used in connection with the operations of the vessel or structure engaged in petroleum exploration.

        (5)         In this regulation—

"petroleum" has the same meaning as in the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Act 2000 .