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Malta to start new oil exploration drive

(MRA)

(MRA)

 

The government is to start marketing more licences for oil exploration in Maltese waters, Resources Minister George Pullicino said.

Mr Pullicino said the government felt the time was right for the move after the industry suffered setbacks from the economic crisis and the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year.

"Now that the industry  is recovering from the blows it has received , we feel it's time for a road show so that we could sell licences for oil exploration in territories which are ours that have not yet been committed," he said.

The marketing drive is planned to start in June.

At present two firms, Heritage Oil International (Malta) Ltd and Malta Oil Pty Ltd, have contracts for oil exploration in Maltese waters.

Heritage Oil was meant to start exploration by the end of last year while Malta Oil is contractually obliged to begin exploring by this July.

The companies had asked for amendments to their contracts and the ministry and the Malta Resources Authority are now waiting for feedback from their end, the minister said.

Last year, the Oil Exploration Department within the MRA held talks with oil companies interested in exploring acreage in Maltese waters.

Oil exploration rights in the Mediterranean have been contested between Malta, Italy and Libya.

In March 2008, Libya wrote to Heritage Oil warning the company not to do any drilling in Area 7 ( on the Medina Bank), which the North African state claimed as its own. Heritage Oil was due to start operations in Area 7 and Area 2 ( which lies to the north of the disputed zone), where it was granted a licence by the Maltese government to explore.

Earlier this year, Malta wrote a formal letter of complaint to Italy after the Italian government offered oil exploration licences around the islands of Pantelleria, Linosa and Lampedusa.

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Mr Joseph Calleja

Apr 14th 2011, 14:31

Yes I think Malta better start digging and do it fast while Gaddafi has his hands full because when and if the dirt settles down he will be back bullying Malta and threatening us not to touch his precious oil supply. Who are we trying to kid? As long as Gaddafi is in power neither Malta nor Italy have a chance of digging for oil. Minister George Pullicino the window of opportunity is very slim, so better hurry up and start digging while our friend Gaddafi has his hands full.

Wenzu Vella

Apr 14th 2011, 16:03

What makes you think that any leader of the Libyan people would not implement the same attitude like Gaddafi. Are you assuming that the Libyan people are so stupid that they will let anyone deprive them from what they believe it is theirs.

Ms B Cassar

Apr 15th 2011, 13:17

Skond certu nies kulhadd qaddis, imbaghad ta l-afrika qaddisin fuq il-qaddisin terga. U halluna!!!! Il-kultura titla fuq ras kollox, u l-atitudni ta hafna popli ta l-afrika mhix differenti minn ta Gaddafi. Billi Gaddafi jitlaq, anke jekk tidhol id-demokrazzija xorta l-istess bazi ta atitudni se tibqa, mela l-unika hin biex ihafru huwa biss issa li kulhadd aljenat.

Mr michael sammut

Apr 14th 2011, 15:17

x'ghandha x taqsam l elezzjoni?? ghax mhux kullhadd jibbenefika jekk malta issib iz zejt, irrelevanti min jkun fil gvern!!!!

Joseph Scicluna

Apr 15th 2011, 07:05

There is no chance of of an election before two years as we have a very stable government!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr M Mamo

Apr 14th 2011, 13:36

sibtu z-zejt fil-50s? mela xamiltu bih? ghax fis-60s u 70s mux talli ma kellnix zejt talli kin ikollok tmur sqallija iggib naqa cikkulata u tilbes li jrid mintoff (u nitkazaw b'Gaddafi)!

josephine fenech

Apr 14th 2011, 16:26

sur mamo qabel veru konna mmorru ghac cikkulata pero almenu kellna l flus biex immorru, ara issa qed immorru ghal pilloli u jissallbu ghax m'hawnx fluz fl idejn.

Joseph Scicluna

Apr 15th 2011, 17:45

sinjura fenech. jista jkun li ma jibqghalekx flus ghac-cikkulata wara li tmur taghmel u tizboh xagharek u tizboh dufrejk xi darbtejn fix-xahar, il-mowbajl ma widnejk il-hin kollu, tombli kull gimgha, xi tlett tvs u computers id-dar etc. etc. U hallina!

Mr Mark Blackburn

Apr 14th 2011, 19:55

This site should give you some insight on the use of FPSO's

http://wapedia.mobi/en/Floating_Production_Storage_and_Offloading

As for your second comment, if we do find oil, this will be a very good source of revenue to explore and implement any type of sustainable energy we like. ;)

Mr Paul Borg

Apr 14th 2011, 13:01

Very soon, after the referendum on divorce.

Philip Hili

Apr 14th 2011, 14:26

You are right Mr. Camilleri.
To add my views with what you have said, I have my doubt why in the past the Italian government used to grant millions of liri to Malta under the excuse of "The Italian Protocol" for infrastructure. As far as I am concerned, the grants from the Italian Protocol were not refundable by the Maltese Government. Who is going to grant you millions of liri (at that time) for nothing? Judging by the present behaviour of the Italian Government I am sure that the Italians are not going to give you something without receiving something in return!!

Eric Camilleri

Apr 14th 2011, 08:56

Rest assured that the Italians and the Greeks will do their best to stop us.

Mr PHILIP RIZZO

Apr 14th 2011, 09:48

BASING ON PAST EXPERIENCE, I DO NOT THINK THAT THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS NEED WORRY UNDULY.
SURELY THIS IS YET ANOTHER ELECTION GIMMICK - WE SHALL BE TOLD A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTION THAT XYZ EXPLORATION LTD HAS SIGNED UP FOR BLOCKS 0,1,2 ETC AND THAT WE SHALL ALL BE RICH HENCEFORTH................................THIS GIMMICK HAS WORKED WELL IN MALTA FOR OVER 20 YEARS . NO DAMAGE DONE EXCEPT TO OUR CREDIBILITY !

Mr M Farrugia

Apr 14th 2011, 13:10

kulhadd isemmi li gejja elezzjoni u jorbot it-tfittija taz-zejt maghha hadd ma qal ghaliex fis-70 u 80 iz-zejt qatt ma tela. Ikun interessanti hafna li xi hadd jghid ghaliex dak iz-zmien baqa taht l-art minkejja li morna qorti internazzjonali.

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