Section 3. Definitions.

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; 1* * * * * 2[(c) "mineral oils" means any naturally occurring hydrocarbon, whether in the form of natural gas or in a liquid, viscous or solid form, or a mixture thereof, and includes crude oil, natural gas, petroleum, condensate, coal bed methane, oil shale, shale gas, shale oil, tight gas, tight oil, gas hydrate in their usual industrial connotation and other gases occurring in association with mineral oils, but does not include coal, lignite and helium occurring in association with petroleum or coal or shale;] (d) "mining lease" means a lease granted for the purpose of searching for, winning, working, getting, making merchantable, carrying away or disposing of 3[mineral oils] or for purposes connected therewith, and includes an exploring or a prospecting license 4[granted before the commencement of the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Act, 2025]; (e) "oilfield" means any area where any operation for the purpose of obtaining 5[mineral oils], refined oil, partially refined oil and any of the products of petroleum in a liquid or solid state, is to be or is being carried on. 6[(f) "petroleum lease" means a lease granted on or after the commencement of the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Act, 2025, for the purpose of prospecting, exploration, development, production, making merchantable, carrying away or disposing of mineral oils or for purposes connected therewith, and includes a mining lease granted before the commencement of the said Act.]