Section 19B: Acquisition of rights to use storage facilities., Gas Act 1986

The owner of a storage facility to which this section applies (a "relevant facility")—

shall publish at least once in every year the main commercial conditions relating to the grant to another person of a right to have gas or liquid gas stored in the facility on that person's behalf; and

shall publish any changes to the published conditions as soon as they become effective.

In subsection (1) "year" means any year ending with 9th August.

The owner of a relevant facility shall ensure that the conditions which he is required to publish under subsection (1) do not discriminate against any applicants or descriptions of applicants, or any potential applicants or descriptions of potential applicants, for a right to have gas or liquid gas stored in the facility.

At least 2 months before publishing the main commercial conditions, or any changes to the published conditions, under subsection (1), the owner of a relevant facility must—

publish a draft of the proposed conditions or changes; and

inform any person who has a right to have gas stored in the facility that the draft has been published.

When finalising conditions or changes under subsection (1), the owner of a relevant facility must take into account any representations it has received about the proposed conditions or changes.

Any person who seeks a right to have gas or liquid gas stored on his behalf in a relevant facility ("the applicant") shall, before making an application to the Director under subsection (8), apply to the owner of the facility for the right.

An application under subsection (4) shall be made by giving notice to the owner specifying what is being sought.

Such a notice shall, in particular, specify—

the period during which the gas or liquid gas is to be stored in the facility;

the kind of gas or liquid gas to be stored (which must be of, or similar to, the kind which the facility is designed to store); and

the quantities of gas or liquid gas to be stored.

Where an applicant gives notice under subsection (5), he and the owner of the facility shall negotiate in good faith and endeavour to reach agreement on the application.

If the owner and the applicant do not reach any such agreement, the applicant may apply to the Director for directions under subsection (11) which would secure to the applicant the right specified in the notice under subsection (5).

The Director shall not entertain an application under subsection (8) unless he is satisfied that the parties have had a reasonable time in which to fulfil their duties under subsection (7).

Where a person applies to the Director under subsection (8) and the Director is satisfied as mentioned in subsection (9), the Director shall—

decide whether the application is to be adjourned (so as to enable further negotiations to take place), considered further or rejected;

give notice of his decision to the applicant; and

in the case of a decision that the application is to be considered further, give to the owner of the facility, the Health and Safety Executive and any person who has a right to have gas or liquid gas stored in the facility notice that the application is to be so considered and an opportunity of being heard on the matter.

Where, after considering an application under subsection (8), the Director is satisfied that the giving of directions under this subsection would not prejudice the efficient operation of the facility, or the storage in the facility of—

the quantities of gas or liquid gas which the owner of the facility requires or may reasonably be expected to require to be stored in the facility; and

the quantities of gas or liquid gas which any person who has a right to have gas or liquid gas stored in the facility is entitled to require to be so stored in the exercise of that right;

the Director may give such directions to the owner of the facility.

Directions under subsection (11) may—

specify the terms on which the Director considers the owner of the facility should enter into an agreement with the applicant for all or any of the following purposes—

for securing to the applicant the right to have stored in the facility, for the period specified in the directions and in the quantities so specified or determined by or under the directions, gas or liquid gas which is of a kind so specified;

for securing that the exercise of that right is not prevented or impeded;

for regulating the charges which may be made for the storage of gas or liquid gas by virtue of that right;

for securing to the applicant such ancillary or incidental rights as the Director considers necessary or expedient (which may include, in particular, a right to have a pipeline of his connected to the facility by the owner);

specify the sums or the method of determining the sums which the Director considers should be paid by way of consideration for any such right; and

require the owner, if the applicant pays or agrees to pay those sums within a period specified in that behalf in the directions, to enter into an agreement with him on the terms so specified.

Section 19B: Acquisition of rights to use storage facilities.

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