Handling difficulties and obstacles in delegating approval authority for some contents in oil and gas activities

(Chinhphu.vn) - The Government has just issued Resolution No. 66.6/2025/NQ-CP dated October 28, 2025, regulating the handling of difficulties and obstacles in delegating approval authority for a number of contents in oil and gas activities.

Handling difficulties and obstacles in delegating approval authority for some contents in oil and gas activities.

This Resolution provides for the handling of difficulties and obstacles in the delegation of approval authority for a number of contents in petroleum activities in a number of articles of the Petroleum Law No. 12/2022/QH15 dated November 14, 2022 (Petroleum Law 2022) and Decree No. 45/2023/ND-CP dated July 1, 2023 of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Petroleum Law. The subjects of application are Vietnamese and foreign agencies, organizations and individuals related to petroleum activities in Vietnam.

Assign PVN to perform the tasks and powers of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in some contents of oil and gas activities.

Resolution assigning the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) to perform the tasks and powers of the Ministry of Industry and Trade according to the provisions of the 2022 Petroleum Law and Decree No. 45/2023/ND-CP, ensuring that the following contents do not affect national defense and security:

1. Approve the general plan for oil and gas field development , except for onshore oil and gas field development projects, oil and gas field development projects with a synchronous chain of items, works, and oil and gas equipment onshore and offshore, and approve adjustments to the general plan for oil and gas field development in case of changes in the development plan, except for gas projects, projects with changes in land use requirements for approved oil and gas discoveries.

PVN's appraisal and approval are carried out according to the procedures issued by PVN as prescribed in Clause 7, Article 48 of Decree No. 45/2023/ND-CP. PVN is responsible for the use of PVN's capital in the event that PVN participates in petroleum contracts as a contractor.

2. Approve adjustments to the early exploitation plan of oil and gas fields in the following cases:

a) The adjustment results in a decrease in total investment, regardless of the changes in work items and costs of each item;

b) The adjustment results in a total investment increase of less than 10% except for the case of additional rig construction.

PVN's appraisal and approval are carried out according to the procedures issued by PVN as prescribed in Clause 9, Article 49 of Decree No. 45/2023/ND-CP. PVN is responsible for the use of PVN's capital in the event that PVN participates in petroleum contracts as a contractor.

3. Approve adjustments to oil and gas field development plans in the following cases:

a) The adjustment results in a decrease in total investment, regardless of the changes in work items and costs of each item;

b) The adjustment results in a total investment increase of less than 10% except for the case of additional rig construction.

PVN's appraisal and approval are carried out according to the procedures issued by PVN as prescribed in Clause 8, Article 50 of Decree No. 45/2023/ND-CP. PVN is responsible for the use of PVN's capital in the event that PVN participates in petroleum contracts as a contractor.

4. Approve adjustments to oil and gas facility cleanup plans in cases where the adjustments result in the cost estimates in the most recently approved oil and gas facility cleanup plan of the Ministry of Industry and Trade decreasing or increasing by less than 20%, regardless of the content of the changes.

PVN's appraisal and approval are carried out according to the process issued by PVN as prescribed in Clause 6, Article 51 of Decree No. 45/2023/ND-CP.

5. Approve the first report on oil and gas resources and reserves for mines and oil and gas discoveries with a total in-place oil volume of less than 30 million m³ and a total in-place gas volume of less than 30 billion m³, except for reports on oil and gas resources and reserves directly conducted by PVN for oil and gas contracts in which PVN is the Operator and Investor.

PVN's appraisal and approval are carried out according to the procedures issued by PVN.

PVN is responsible for reporting to the Ministry of Industry and Trade the results of approving the above-mentioned assigned contents.

This Resolution takes effect from the date of signing until February 28, 2027. In case the Law on Petroleum is amended, supplemented and takes effect before February 28, 2027, it shall apply until the effective date of the amended and supplemented Law on Petroleum.

Snow Letter

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/xu-ly-kho-khan-vuong-mac-trong-giao-quyen-phe-duyet-mot-so-noi-dung-trong-hoat-dong-dau-khi-102251028185017744.htm