Content area
Full text
The authors review the common law, common contractual language and statutory law relating to the confidentiality of seismic information. The extent of the rights of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Boards to receive, use and make seismic data public is considered in light of freedom of information and protection of privacy legislation. The authors discuss the different treatment of specified user and speculative seismic data, and explore copyright.
Les auteurs examinent la common law, la langue contractuelle habituelle et le droit législatif qui régit le caractère confidentiel des données sismiques. La portée des droits des deux organismes (l'Office Canada - Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador des hydrocarbures extracôtiers et l'Office Canada - Nouvelle-Ecosse des hydrocarbures extracôtiers) de recevoir, d'utiliser et de divulguer des données sismiques est examinée à la lumière des lois sur l'accès à l'information et sur la protection des renseignements personnels. Les auteurs discutent du traitement différent accordé aux données destinées à un utilisateur précis et aux données sismiques spéculatives; ils étuthent également le droit d'auteur.
Introduction
I. Background
II. Analysis
1. Contract
a. Definition of confidential information
b. Obligation to not disclose or use confidential information
c. Permitted uses of confidential information
2. Breach of confidence
a. Confidential information
b. Communicated in confidence
c, Misuse [to the detriment of the confider]
d. Remedies
3. Breach of fiduciary duty
4. Statute - east coast
a. Breach of copyright
b. Breach of confidence
e, Access to Information Act
d. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Legislation
III. Conclusion
IV. Addendum: Update on digital data disclosure
Introduction
Until satellite x-ray technology takes the mystery out of hydrocarbon exploration, seismic surveys will continue to provide the best guide to exploratory drilling locations. Some seismic surveys are done for a specific customer or group of customers on a contract basis, usually covering areas licensed by, or adjacent to areas licensed by that customer or group of customers; other surveys are done by geophysical service providers who hope to market the resulting data to interested explorers.
Many governments recognize the value of seismic information as a facilitator of exploration activity and require, as a consequence, that: (a) seismic information must be submitted to government as a condition to the regulatory permission to conduct the survey; and...