(1) An expert advisory committee has the function of advising the responsible Commonwealth Minister about matters referred to it by the responsible Commonwealth Minister.
(2) A matter referred under subsection (1) must be:
(a) whether there is a significant risk that a key petroleum operation in an offshore area will have a significant adverse impact on:
(i) operations for the injection of a greenhouse gas substance; or
(ii) operations for the storage of a greenhouse gas substance; or
(b) whether there is a significant risk that a key greenhouse gas operation in an offshore area will have a significant adverse impact on petroleum exploration operations, or petroleum recovery operations, that could be carried on under:
(i) an existing petroleum exploration permit; or
(ii) an existing petroleum retention lease; or
(iii) an existing petroleum production licence; or
(iv) a future petroleum exploration permit; or
(v) a future petroleum retention lease; or
(vi) a future petroleum production licence; or
(ba) whether there is a significant risk that a key greenhouse gas operation in an offshore area will have a significant adverse impact on petroleum exploration operations, or petroleum recovery operations, that could be carried on under:
(i) an existing petroleum exploration permit; or
(ii) an existing petroleum retention lease; or
(iii) an existing petroleum production licence; or
(iv) a future petroleum exploration permit; or
(v) a future petroleum retention lease; or
(vi) a future petroleum production licence; or
(vii) an existing State/Territory petroleum exploration title; or
(viii) an existing State/Territory petroleum retention title; or
(ix) an existing State/Territory petroleum production title; or
(x) a future State/Territory petroleum exploration title; or
(xi) a future State/Territory petroleum retention title; or
(xii) a future State/Territory petroleum production title; or
(c) whether there is a significant risk that any of the operations that could be carried on under a greenhouse gas injection licence will have a significant adverse impact on operations that are being, or could be, carried on under:
(i) an existing petroleum exploration permit; or
(ii) an existing petroleum retention lease; or
(iii) an existing petroleum production licence; or
(iv) a future petroleum exploration permit; or
(v) a future petroleum retention lease; or
(vi) a future petroleum production licence; or
(ca) whether there is a significant risk that any of the operations that could be carried on under a greenhouse gas injection licence will have a significant adverse impact on operations that are being, or could be, carried on under:
(i) an existing petroleum exploration permit; or
(ii) an existing petroleum retention lease; or
(iii) an existing petroleum production licence; or
(iv) a future petroleum exploration permit; or
(v) a future petroleum retention lease; or
(vi) a future petroleum production licence; or
(vii) an existing State/Territory petroleum exploration title; or
(viii) an existing State/Territory petroleum retention title; or
(ix) an existing State/Territory petroleum production title; or
(x) a future State/Territory petroleum exploration title; or
(xi) a future State/Territory petroleum retention title; or
(xii) a future State/Territory petroleum production title; or
(d) whether there is a significant risk that any of the operations that are being, or could be, carried on under a greenhouse gas injection licence will have a significant adverse impact on:
(i) operations to recover petroleum; or
(ii) the commercial viability of the recovery of petroleum; or
(e) whether a serious situation exists in relation to an identified greenhouse gas storage formation specified in a greenhouse gas injection licence (see section 379); or
(f) a matter that relates to the exercise of any of the following powers:
(i) the powers conferred by section 298;
(ii) the powers conferred by section 299;
(iii) the making of a declaration under section 312 or 312A;
(iv) the variation or revocation of a declaration under section 312 or 312A;
(v) the giving of a direction under section 316;
(vi) the giving of a direction under section 351;
(vii) the variation of a matter specified in a greenhouse gas injection licence (see section 374 or 374A);
(viii) the giving of a direction under section 376;
(ix) the giving of a direction under section 380;
(x) the taking of action under section 383;
(xi) the issuing of a pre - certificate notice (see section 388);
(xii) the making of a declaration under section 399;
(xiii) the giving of a direction under section 593; or
(g) a matter relating to the exercise of a power that:
(i) is conferred on the responsible Commonwealth Minister by this Act or the regulations; and
(ii) is specified in regulations made for the purposes of this subparagraph.
Note: See also sections 295B, 323B and 360A (extended meaning of offshore area ).