The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948

(1) This Act may be called The1[Oilfields] (Regulationand Development) Act, 1948. 2[(2) It extends to the whole of India3* * *]. (3) it shall come into force on such date4as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint in this behalf.

[Declaration as to expediency of control by Central Government.]mitted by the Mines and Minerals(Regulation and Development) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957), s. 32 and the Third Schedule (w.e. f. 1-6-1958).]

In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-- (a) the expressions "lessor" and "lessee" respectively include a licensor and licensee; (b) "mine" means any excavation for the purpose of searching for or obtaining 1[mineral oils] andincludes an oilwell; (c)1["mineral oils"] include natural gas and petroleum; (d) "mining lease" means a lease granted for the purpose of searching for, winning, working,getting, making merchantable, carrying away or disposing of 1[mineral oils] or for purposes connectedtherewith, and includes an exploring or a prospecting license; (e) "oilfield" means any area where any operation for the purpose of obtaining natural gas andpetroleum, crude oil, refined oil, partially refined oil and any of the products of petroleum in a liquidor solid state, is to be or is being carried on.

(1) No mining lease shallbe granted after the commencementof this act otherwise than in accordance with the rules made under thisAct. (2) Any mining lease granted contrary to the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be void and of noeffect.

(1) The Central Government may, bynotification in the Official Gazette, make rulesfor regulating the grant of mining leases or for prohibitingthe grant of such leases in respect of any1[mineral oil] or in any area. (2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may providefor all or any of the following matters, namely:-- (a) the manner in which, the 1[mineral oils] or areas in respect of which and the persons by whom,applications for mining leases may be made and the fees to be paid on any such application; (b) the authority by which, the terms on which, and the conditions subject to which, mining leasesmay be granted; (c) the maximum or minimum area and the period for which any mining lease may be granted,and the terms on which leases in respect of contiguous areas may be amalgamated; (d) the fixing of the maximum and minimum rent payable by a lessee, whether the mine isworked or not.