•   It is an offence to recover petroleum in an offshore area except:

  (a)   under a petroleum production licence; or

  (b)   as otherwise authorised or required by or under this Act.

•   This Part provides for the grant of petroleum production licences over blocks in an offshore area.

•   A petroleum production licence authorises the licensee to carry out petroleum recovery operations in the licence area.

•   There are 4 ways in which a petroleum production licence can be granted:

  (a)   grant of a petroleum production licence as a result of an application made by a petroleum exploration permittee or a petroleum retention lessee;

  (b)   grant of a petroleum production licence over a surrendered block or a similar block;

  (c)   grant of a petroleum production licence over an individual block in exchange for another licence that was in force over the same block;

  (d)   grant of a petroleum production licence as a result of a change to the boundary of the coastal waters of a State or Territory.