An extra-ordinary meeting of Executive Council was held on Wednesday, 3 February to address some urgent oil exploration matters.
Firstly a paper seeking the Governors approval to a safety case for the drilling rig, Ocean Guardian was discussed. The Health & Safety Executive in the UK had written to FIG advising that they had completed their assessment of the safety case submitted by Diamond Offshore and that they recommend to the Governor that the rig is equipped to work here. Executive Council welcomed the news and advised the Governor to accept the case, thus permitting the rig to enter into and drill in the North Falkland Basin.
Secondly an application has been received from a company considering undertaking seismic survey work for an oil company with Production Licences in the Falkland Islands. To allow a vessel to survey here, the company requires an Exploration Licence. The Governor was advised to seek approval to the award of a licence.
Thirdly another application has been received from a geophysical survey company to carry out a speculative seismic survey in unlicensed acreage. This application is very encouraging and demonstrates the willingness of companies to invest in additional data acquisition. Details are yet to be agreed on the scale of the survey but meanwhile, the Governor was advised to seek consent to award an Exploration Licence to allow the survey to proceed.
In both the above cases the proposed surveying is outside the fisheries area that is potentially active in the coming months.
Phyl Rendell
Director of Mineral Resources
On behalf of Executive Council
3 February 2010
