(1) The Act shall apply to activities associated with the exploration for and exploitation of natural resources in the seabed or its substrata, Norwegian inland waters, Norwegian sea territory and the Norwegian part of the continental shelf.(2) The Act shall apply to activities as referred to in the first paragraph in the area outside the Norwegian sector of the continental shelf if this ensues from a special agreement with a foreign state or from international law in general.(3) The Ministry may by regulation wholly or partly exempt from the Act activities as referred to in the first and second paragraphs. The Ministry may also provide in regulations that the Act wholly or partly shall apply to activities as referred to in the first paragraph in areas outside the Norwegian part of the continental shelf if exploration for or exploitation of natural resources on the seabed or its substrata are conducted from an installation registered in a Norwegian shipping register or if manned underwater operations are carried out from an installation or vessel registered in a Norwegian shipping register. The Ministry may by regulation also provide that the Act shall apply in connection with the movement of installations or vessels as mentioned.(4) Special provisions may also be laid down in regulations issued pursuant to this section.
