A Report for FIRS by Layla Crowie (LC) 04.02.10
An extraordinary meeting of Executive Council was held this week to consider a number of oil related matters. Director of Minerals, Phyl Rendell (PR), reported on what was discussed.
PR: There was an extraordinary meeting of Executive Council on Wednesday, 03 February to address some matters that really couldnt wait until the next scheduled EXCO. I am very grateful to the Governor and Councillors to accommodate them. But the most important issue was getting the Governors approval to the safety case for the Ocean Guardian, the rig thats due to come into our waters in the next few weeks.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who work for the Falkland Islands Government finally concluded their assessment at the very end of January and it just missed the last EXCO, so we had to have that formally approved and the Governor kindly did that. The Rig can now come into the zone and drill.
We took advantage of the meeting to just take two other papers that were oil matters. Weve got two companies that are using a seismic survey vessel at the moment in the region that potentially could come and do some more site surveys and seismic surveys in the area. And to enable the vessel to come into the area it requires an exploration licence and any company working on the vessel also does. We addressed those issues. Councillors were pleased to see the industry is looking at even more investment in the area and acquiring more data. So weve recommended to the Governor that he seeks approval to issue exploration licences to a small seismic company and a vessel to come and work in the Falklands.
