Interpretation

In this Act, and in any regulations made there under, unless the context otherwise requires, “commercial discovery” means a discovery of petroleum which can be exploited commercially in accordance with accepted practices in the international petroleum industry; “contract” means any agreement between the Government and a contractor entered into pursuant to this Act for the conduct of petroleum operations in Belize; “contract area” means a geographical area which is covered by a contract; and includes the whole of, or such part or parts of, the original area awarded to a contractor and shall remain at the disposal of such contractor from time to time pursuant to the terms of the contract; “contractor” means any person with whom the Government enters into a contract; and includes his agents, representatives and assignees; “crude oil” means petroleum which is in liquid state at the wellhead or gas or oil separator or which is extracted from natural gas, including any distillate or condensate; 7 “development and production period” shall be construed in accordance with section 19 of this Act; “exploration period” shall be construed in accordance with section 19 of this Act; “Inspector” means the Inspector of Petroleum appointed under section 4 of this Act; “land” includes land beneath water; “mineral” means any substance, whether in solid, liquid or gaseous form, occurring naturally in or on the earth, formed by, or subject to a geological process, but does not include, (a) water, not being water taken from a borehole, well, excavation or natural saltpan for the extraction there from of a substance in solution therein and of commercial value; (b) soil, not being taken from the earth for the extraction there from of a substance of commercial value contained therein or for the manufacture there from of a product of commercial value; or (c) “Minister” means the Minister for the time being responsible for petroleum affairs; “natural gas” means all petroleum which at atmospheric conditions of temperature and pressure is in a gaseous state; and includes wet mineral gas, wet gas and residue gas remaining after the extraction, processing or separation of liquid petroleum from wet gas, as well as non-petroleum gas or gases produced in association with liquid or gaseous 8 “occupier” in relation to land, means the holder of a lease, or location ticket, or permit to occupy; “owner” in relation to land, includes a lessee; “petroleum” means all natural organic substances composed of carbon and hydrogen; and includes crude oil and natural gas, and all other mineral substances, products, by-products and derivatives that are found in conjunction with petroleum; “petroleum operations” means the operations related to the exploration, development, extraction, production, field separation, transportation, storage, sale or disposal of petroleum; but does not include any transportation or other (i) beyond the point of export; or (ii) in the case of petroleum which is processed within Belize, beyond the point of entry into a refinery or liquefaction or natural gas treatment plant; “prescribed” means prescribed in the regulations, or pursuant to the terms of a contract, or as determined by the Minister, as the case may be; “Register” means the petroleum register maintained pursuant to section 6 of this Act.