Can Malta strike oil? Are we going about it the right way?

For many decades, I was deeply involved, holding senior positions in Libya and having valuable contacts with top oil executives.

I had persuaded the World Petroleum Congresses to hold an international seminar just for the central Mediterranean region with special emphasis on Malta.

At the same time, I had been working on an international conference of geologists, which would have studied and discussed the overall potentiality of the region.

These two activities had already garnered the support of all countries bordering the Mediterranean and of major world oil producers. These were not stand-alone efforts because I had organised two major exhibitions and conferences, MOEX 92 and MOEX 94, under the highest patronage within the oil industry.

But certain quarters in Malta may not have been happy with such advancements. It could have been a terror of facing experts of international repute or of losing lucrative income. At the 11th hour all my work was undermined and both high level conferences were nipped in the bud.

Many major oil-producing countries depend on foreigners to manage oil exploration and production but in Malta, on the excuse of confidentiality, some think they are capable of doing a specialised job without having any hands-on experience.

There is an absolute need for a National Oil Corporation, with the government controlling the political aspects and leaving technical matters in the hands of experts.

The government needs to take stock. The two conferences mentioned above are highly sought after. Many countries compete to host the triennial World Petroleum Congresses, while Malta, having had this unique opportunity, decided to snub the experts.

Oil will never be discovered through amateurish and bureaucratic actions. With every failed well, Malta’s reputation in oil exploration continues to plummet and we now risk losing all credibility.