(1) Where there are several contractor parties under a petroleum agreement or several licensees under one licence, a claim for compensation for pollution damage shall initially be made against the operator.

(2) Where there are several licensees or contractor parties and one of them fails to pay the share of the compensation, the unpaid amount shall be paid by the other licensees or contractor parties in proportion to their participating interest.

(3) Where an event of force majeure results in pollution damage, the Minister shall, on the advice of the Commission, assess the damage taking into account

(a) the scope of the activity,

(b) the measures taken to avoid or mitigate the effects of the force majeure event,

(c) the situation of the party that has sustained the damage as a result of the force majeure event, and

(d) the insurance opportunities for each party.

(4) On the basis of the assessment, the Minister shall require the person liable for the pollution damage to pay compensation.