The Petroleum Act, 1934

(1) This Act may be called the Petroleum Act, 1934. 1[(2) It extends to the whole of India 2***.] (3) It shall come into force on such date3 as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-- (a) "petroleum" means any liquid hydrocarbon or mixture of hydrocarbons, and any inflammablemixture (liquid, viscous or solid) containing any liquid hydrocarbon; 1[(b) "petroleum Class A" means petroleum having a flash-point below twenty-three degreesCentigrade; (bb) "petroleum Class B" means petroleum having a flash-point of twenty-three degreesCentigrade and above but below sixty-five degrees Centigrade; (bbb) "petroleum Class C" means petroleum having a flash-point of sixty-five degrees Centigradeand above but below ninety-three degree Centigrade;] (c)2["flash-point"] of any petroleum means the lowest temperature at which it yields a vapourwhich will give a momentary flash when ignited, determined in accordance with the provisions ofChapter II and the rules made thereunder; 3[(d) "to transport petroleum" means to move petroleum from one place to another in India andincludes moving from one place to another in India across a territory which is not part of India;] (e) "to import" petroleum means to bring it into 4[India] by land, sea or air, otherwise than duringthe course of transport; (f) "to store" petroleum means to keep it in any one place, but does not include any detentionhappening during the ordinary course of transport; (g) "motor conveyance" means any vehicle, vessel or aircraft for the conveyance of humanbeings, animals or goods, by land, water or air, in which petroleum is used to generate the motivepower; (h) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act. 5* * * * *

(1) No one shall import, transport or store anypetroleum save in accordance with the rules made under section 4. (2) Save in accordance with the conditions of any licence for the purpose which he may be required toobtain by rules made under section 4, no one shall import 1[petroleum Class A], and no one shall transporttransport or store any petroleum.

The 1[Central Government] maymakes rules-- (a) prescribing places where petroleum may be imported and prohibiting its import elsewhere; (b) regulating the import of petroleum; (c) prescribing the periods within which licences for the import of 2[petroleum Class A] shall beapplied for, and providing for the disposal, by confiscation or otherwise, of any 2[petroleum Class A]in respect of which a licence has not been applied for within the prescribed period or has been refusedand which has not been exported; (d) regulating the transport of petroleum; (e) specifying the nature and condition of all receptacles and pipe-lines in which petroleum maybe transported; (f) regulating the places at which and prescribing the conditions subject to which petroleum maybe stored; (g) specifying the nature, situation and condition of all receptacles in which petroleum may bestored; (h) prescribing the form and conditions of licences for the import of 2[petroleum Class A], and forthe transport or storages of any petroleum, the manner in which applications for such licences shall bemade, the authorities which may grant such licences and the fees which may be charged for suchlicences; (i) determining in any class of cases whether a licence for the transport of petroleum shall beobtained by the consignor, consignee or carrier; (j) providing for the granting of combined licences for the import, transport and storage ofpetroleum, or for any two of such purposes; (k) prescribing the proportion in which any specified poisonous substance may be added topetroleum, and prohibiting the import, transport or storage of petroleum in which the proportion ofany specified poisonous substance exceeds the prescribed proportion; and (l) generally, providing for any matter which in 3[its] opinion is expedient for proper control overthe import, transport and storage of petroleum 4[including the charging of fees for any servicesrendered in connection with the import, transport and storage of petroleum].

(1) No one shall produce, refine or blendpetroleum save in accordance with the rules made under sub-section (2). (2) The 1[Central Government] may makes rules-- (a) prescribing the conditions subject to which petroleum may be produced, refined or blended;and (b) regulating the removal of petroleum from places where it is produced, refined or blended andpreventing the storage therein and removal therefrom, except as 2[petroleum Class A], of anypetroleum, which has not satisfied the prescribed tests. 3* * * * *