Purpose, Scope and Boundaries
Purpose
The Guidelines are voluntary principles to assist Industry to identify, assess and manage environmental impacts associated with petroleum exploration, development and production activities in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf beyond the Territorial Sea.
In particular, the Guidelines seek to:
- establish a voluntary approach to identifying and managing environmental impacts
- provide Industry and Government with clarity on the current regulatory and voluntary requirements
- provide for dialogue between Industry and Government to address opportunities and issues.
Scope and Boundaries
The Guidelines encompass petroleum exploration, development and production activities undertaken in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf beyond the Territorial Sea.
The Guidelines provide assistance on environmental assessment and management relating to these petroleum–related activities where the environmental requirements in the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf beyond the Territorial Sea are not adequately covered by other legislation, policies or guidelines.
The Guidelines do not address such activities or issues:
- being undertaken within the current jurisdiction of the Territorial Sea (12 mile limit), and which are generally addressed via the Resource Management Act 1991
- related to the allocation of resources and the occupation of space.
The Guidelines are not intended to be legally enforceable. They do not restrict any power or discretion under any statute. Furthermore, nothing in the Guidelines removes the need to comply with other laws, regulations, rules, standards, guidelines or other such articles that are relevant to any activities that are undertaken by the Industry in the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf beyond the Territorial Sea.
