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Infrastructure Code of Practice
Introduction
The
Infrastructure Code of Practice, (ICOP) is a non-statutory industry code
adopted in September 2004 which sets out principles and procedures to guide
those (on both sides) negotiating third-party access to oil and gas
infrastructure on the UKCS.
This Code is relevant
to all companies currently doing or prospectively seeking business in the
UKCS. It calls on all UKCS
licensees, infrastructure owners, operators and prospective users to adhere
to its principles. The current
version (published 2004) is a major revision of the 1996 Code of Practice,
substantially changed in format, content and intent.
The principles of
this Code are noted below:
Overarching Principles
- Parties uphold
infrastructure safety & integrity and protect the environment
- Parties follow the
Commercial Code of Practice
Principles of the Infrastructure Code of Practice
- Parties provide
meaningful information to each other prior to and during commercial
negotiations
- Parties support
negotiated access in a timely manner
- Parties undertake to
ultimately settle disputes with an automatic referral to the Secretary
of State
- Parties resolve conflicts
of interest
- Infrastructure owners
provide transparent and non-discriminatory access
- Infrastructure owners
provide tariffs and terms for unbundled services, where requested and
practicable
- Parties seek to agree
fair and reasonable tariffs and terms, where risks taken are reflected
by rewards
- Parties publish key,
agreed commercial provisions.
The Infrastructure Code of Practice can be accessed
here and
and Guidance Notes on the Infrastructure Code of Practice can be found
here.
The Infrastructure Code of Practice and
related Guidance Notes state that information should be made available to
appropriate parties at various stages in access to infrastructure
negotiations such as a Statement of Requirements, sent form bona-fide
enquirer to infrastructure owner, or an Infrastructure Access Agreement
Summary to be used in summarising construction tie-in and transportation and
processing agreements by the owner/operator for the inclusion in the
publication of key commercial terms. The Infrastructure Code of Practice
and Guidance Notes contain several pro-formas acting as templates for the
necessary information exchange.
To access editable infrastructure code of
practice pro-formas please see the below links:
Development & Production Operations Main Page
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