Falklands : Mineral Resources Committee Report for March
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 26.03.2006 (Article Archived on 09.04.2006)
Find out what happened during this important committee meeting.
MINERAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEETING
(23 March 2006)
By J. Brock (FINN)
A meeting of the Mineral Resources Committee took place at 1500hrs on Thursday, 23 March 2006. Present were Cllr. A. Clausen, Councillor R. Cockwell, Mrs. Phyl Rendell, Director of Mineral Resources and Agriculture, Mr. David Lang QC, Attorney General, Mr. Chris Simpkins, Chief Executive and Mrs. Katrina Stephenson, who took the minutes.
There were no apologies for absence and no matters arising from the previous meeting held on 20 December 2005.
Mrs. Rendell then gave a report on Activities of the Mineral Resources Department since the meeting on 20 December 2005. She listed a further visit from John Armstrong and Richard Liddell of Falkland Islands Oil and Gas as well as chairman Designate, Tim Bushell. The men gave the Department of Mineral Resources a full briefing on findings from the 2002 and 2004 seismic in FOGL’s licensed areas.
She went on to say that a team of four from Desire Petroleum Plc also visited the Falklands with the results of the Environmental Impact Assessment in the North Falkland Basin. There was frustration because Desire is ready to drill but cannot find a suitable rig. When one is found the drilling can happen immediately. While waiting, Desire are tying up all the loose ends and getting everything in place to have a seamless transition from the search for a rig to beginning the drilling effort.
Also visiting since the last meeting was Dr. Phil Richards of British Geological Survey, who is the Falkland Islands Government’s consultant. He had an overview of offshore and onshore exploration, with a trip to Goose Green to see Falklands Gold and Minerals Limited’s operations.
FOGL’s 2D survey in the South Falkland Basin of 25,000 sq km is nearly complete, with Rockhopper Exploration in the north using the GSI Pacific prior to the Illex season beginning in mid February. Rockhopper also acquired electromagnetic Data, a first for the Falklands, using a company called Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping. Their vessel, M/V Aurelia called into Stanley several times prior to leaving the zone.
Onshore, FGML is up to date in their East Falkland Drilling programme around Goose Green, with some sampling work being done on West Falkland. Richard Linnell, the Company Chairman, visited the site prior to going to London for a Company board meeting.
Mrs. Rendell and Cllr Clausen will be visiting Huston Texas to attend the AAPG annual conference from 9 to 13 April 2006. Sam Moody of Rockhopper Exploration will also be attending. Prior to the Huston meeting, Cllr Clausen and Mrs. Rendell will be meeting Health and Safety Executive officials in London, as well as DTI officials as they play an important role in offering advice on how wells should be drilled. While in London the two will be visiting FOGL’s offices and those of BSP, Argos and Desire Petroleum.
Prior to the exclusion of press and public the budget for 2006/07 was presented with an increase in revenue of £100,000.00 due to additional licence awards and acreage rental. Expenditure was for hydrocarbons consultancies, as well as £10,000.00 for the Health and Safety Executive budget. BGS had requested a budget of £276,000.00 but due to budget constraints, £250,000.00 was allocated. As such it is an increase of £20,000.00
Data interpretation also ate into the budget, with some older data being sold to help offset the costs.
There was no date set for the next meeting.
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