No person shall drill, bore, drive, dig, or otherwise conduct any operation for the purpose of obtaining access to a pocket or other underground area or place for the purpose of storing natural or artificial gas or petroleum products and their derivatives, unless a permit for such operation, construction and storage shall be first obtained from the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Economic Development. Nothing in this act shall be construed to apply to the installation or maintenance of underground tanks or vessels commonly used to store such products.
N.J.S. § 58:10-35.1