Falklands : Falklands Department of Mineral Resources Report for November 2011 to January 2012
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 29.01.2012 (Article Archived on 12.02.2012)
Following is a report on the wide range of activities at the Mineral Resources Department from November 2011 to January 2012. This report is by Stephen Luxton, the first in his new role as Director of Mineral Resources.
Falklands Department of Mineral Resources Report for November 2011 to January 2012
By Stephen Luxton (FIG)
Following is a report on the wide range of activities at the Mineral Resources Department from November 2011 to January 2012. This report is by Stephen Luxton, the first in his new role as Director of Mineral Resources.
Completion of Ocean Guardian drilling campaign
Since the last meeting held in November 2011, the extensive drilling campaign being undertaken by the Ocean Guardian drilling rig has been completed. The rig left in mid January and is currently being towed back to the UK for routine maintenance prior to taking on its next contract later in 2012.
The campaign was extremely successful both technically and logistically with several oil and gas discoveries, and all who were involved with it both within the industry and within the local business community are to be congratulated on a safe and successful campaign. In almost two years of drilling, there was no time lost due to logistical challenges associated with working in the Falklands and proves beyond doubt that extended oil industry operations in the Falklands are perfectly feasible.
Operators have commented that the Falklands has been an excellent place for the industry to work with a very commendable “can-do” attitude within the local business community and it is considered that the working relationship between operators and the Government as regulator have been excellent.
Commencement of the Leiv Eiriksson drilling campaign
The Leiv Eiriksson drilling rig arrived in Berkeley Sound on 21 January 2012 ready to begin its four-well campaign in the South and East Falkland Basins which is anticipated to last approximately six months.
Leiv Eiriksson is a self-propelled dynamically-positioned 5th generation harsh environment semi-submersible rig which has mobilised to the Falklands under its own power and will be supported in its drilling operations by three vessels, platform supply vessels Toisa Sonata and Toisa Intrepid, and a dedicated emergency response vessel Ocean Prince, all of which arrived in Stanley a few days before the rig.
The rig will spend several days loading heavy equipment from its supply vessels in Berkeley Sound before mobilising to drill the first Borders & Southern Petroleum prospect Darwin East, and it will then drill a second well for Borders & Southern Petroleum on their Stebbing prospect before moving north to drill two wells for Falkland Oil & Gas Ltd in their license areas.
NAPE convention
FIG plans to attend the NAPE convention in Houston in February 2012 which will be the next significant marketing event. Interest in Falklands exploration opportunities is expected to be strong at this event which will be attended by the Director of Mineral Resources, Dr Phil Richards from BGS and representatives from licensees. It is anticipated that the opportunity will be taken by FIG to meet with its various licensees in the margins of the NAPE meeting.
Oil Company meetings and visits
Several members of Rockhopper Exploration’s management team have visited the Falklands in recent weeks and have met with the Mineral Resources Department. A team from Plexus Energy visited from 14th to 28th January to conduct the follow-up visit for their Socio-Economic Impact Assessment for the Sea Lion development, and during the course of these meetings they met with various stakeholders and conducted “drop in” sessions at the Rockhopper office, and public consultation meetings in both Stanley and Camp. The purpose of this visit was mainly to follow up the issues identified in their scoping visit in late 2011 and a final study report will be prepared and submitted in the next few months.
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