Malta’s resource regulator has launched a scathing attack on geologist Peter Gatt, who last Friday said lack of geological data made drilling in Maltese waters a “high-risk” venture for oil exploration firms.

In a letter to The Times, Malta Resources Authority CEO Anthony Rizzo denied Dr Gatt’s claims, saying they were “inaccurate” and “an attempt to discredit the work being undertaken in oil exploration”.

Oil companies, Mr Rizzo said, had access to “extensive geological and geophysical data” before drilling for the fossil fuel.

Data was published in inter­national geological journals, with firms carrying out further exploratory studies before starting to drill, he added.

The MRA CEO insisted that exploration companies would not invest “tens of millions” in oil drilling ventures without first having carried out detailed geological studies.

Malta has experienced a flurry of drilling-related news in recent weeks, with Mediterranean Oil and Gas set to begin hunting for oil next year and another two com­panies reportedly awaiting drilling licences.

But last Friday, Dr Gatt warned lacunae in local geo­logical data were hindering such efforts to strike oil, with drilling companies not having much information to go on.

The geologist called for the creation of a national geological institution, saying the Government needed to “take geological research more seriously” and argued that Malta was the only EU country without a geological survey.

But in his letter Mr Rizzo fervently denies all this, saying the MRA “is officially recognised as the Geological Survey of Malta”, having joined the European-wide EuroGeoSurveys in September 2011.

The MRA CEO also criticised a map of Malta’s continental shelf that Dr Gatt used when presenting his research.

The map, which Mr Rizzo described as “incorrect” and pre­judicial to Malta’s sovereign rights, was subsequently published in The Times.

But Dr Gatt has stuck to his guns, insisting most of the published geological studies referred to by Mr Rizzo date back to over 20 years ago.

The MRA’s own website was indicative of this, he added.

“Geological data on the MRA’s website is identical to what was found on the former website of the Oil Exploration Division some 10 years ago.

“The information presented is outdated and should be revised.”

He also scorned Mr Rizzo’s argument that Malta had a geological survey in the form of the MRA.

“There is no law in Malta that establishes a national geological survey. And in fact there is no mention of ‘geology’ or ‘geo­logical’ anywhere in the Malta Resource Authority Act,” Dr Gatt said.

In its 2011 annual report, the MRA makes a passing mention to having joined European geological surveys, saying work is “ongoing” to develop digitised geological map data through “geological collaborations”.

It does not provide any further details.

Dr Gatt also suggested Mr Rizzo take up the “incorrect map” issue up with Google, rather than himself.

“I agree that the map does not correctly represent Malta’s continental shelf. But my presentation was about geological features, not political boundaries.

“The MRA should ask Google Earth, which is where I got the map, to revise its map.”

PULLICINO ORLANDO REACTS

In a reaction, Dr Jeffrey Pullicino orlando, chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology told timesofmalta.com that without wanting to denigrate the work that is done by the Malta Resources Authority in relation to oil exploration, it was pertinent to note that there had only been 12 exploratory wells drilled in the past 50 years in Maltese territorial waters.

"If one were to use the activity in the field by neighbouring Italy as a yardstick we would have to have drilled 400 wells to reach the same density of exploratory activity in the same period in our waters.

"It is obvious that more can be done in the field of oil exploration to make Malta more attractive for oil companies. A proper geological survey may be one of them. This was the point made at the press conference last Friday."

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