It
looks as if Jamaica might soon strike it rich like our CARICOM
Neighbors Trinidad and Tobago as described in my blog
article entitled “Trinidad
and Tobago Discover new reserves of Oil in shallow water - God is indeed a
Trini and Jamaica courts them for LNG again”. Again thanks to
the auspices of Minister of Science, Technology Energy and Mining Philip
Paulwell!
This
as the Jamaica/Colombia Environmental Baseline Survey of the marine ecosystem
in the Joint Regime Area established by theMaritime Delimitation Treaty (1993)
between Colombia and Jamaica done back in 2011AD was presented in April 2012AD as
stated in the article “Researchers
map marine life ahead of Oil exploration”, published Sunday
July 8, 2012, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
Why
it took so long for the PCJ, which is a part of this Jamaica/Colombia
Environmental Baseline Survey to make these finding public is
puzzling. Even their official statement on the matter made in the First Week of
July 2012AD was equally cryptic, quote: “The areas have been found to have
complex biological communities with an abundance of fish, sponge, macroalgae,
coral and octocoral groups and might also contain important mineral resources”.
In
plain English, this study is a precursor to Oil drilling and Rare Earth Mining in
2013AD as promised by Minister of Science, Technology Energy and Mining Philip
Paulwell as stated in the article “Jamaica
to drill for Oil next year - Paulwell”, published Monday May
21, 2012 9:02 am, Nedburn Thaffe, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
It
is a VERY strong indication of the confidence level of the FDI (Foreign Direct
Investors) Sagres Energy, the parent of Canadian firm Rainville Energy in
finding Oil in Jamaican waters. Sagres Energy, which has drilling rights in
Jamaica since Thursday June 15th 2006 AD had announced on Friday
August 27th 2010 AD that Jamaica potentially has three billion
(3,000,000) barrels of Oil as stated in the article “Jamaica may have 3 billion
barrels of Oil”,
published Wednesday, September 01, 2010, The Jamaica Observer.
The following quote from the article
is quite memorable: “Results of an independent evaluation of the resource
potential of certain prospectus identified in Sagres' blocks 9, 13 and 14 in
the shallow-waters (20 meters) of the Pedro Bank 120 km offshore Jamaica
show(s) a gross mean prospective resource estimate (Oil) of three billion
barrels”.
Our
Oil Prospecting future being given a potential jump-start by Sagres Energy
finding Oilfires up the Jamaican desire to be an Oil Producer like Trinidad and
Tobago is summed up in my blog
article entitled “Alternative
Energy and Jamaica's Oil Prospects - Carletta DeLeon, The Spy who Loved Me”
and “Alternative
Energy and the Recent Oil Discovery in Jamaica - The Merchant of Venice”.
For
those with good memories, Sagres Energy drilling permit has been renewed for
the next two (2) to November 2014AD by the PCJ (Petroleum Corporation of
Jamaica) and appear to have found an as-yet named drilling partner. They are
slated to start drilling for Oil as early as the First Quarter of 2013AD as
chronicled in my blog
article entitled “Paulwell
taps Canadian Sagres to drill for Oil in 2013AD - Partner found for South Coast
Oil Boom”.
The
Jamaica/Colombia Environmental Baseline Surveyis thus first part of that
process. Funded by ANH (Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos), Hugo Chavez’s
equivalent of our PCJ (Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica), this is the first
joint survey of its kind between the two (2) neighbours based on the use of the
Maritime Delimitation Treaty (1993) between Colombia and Jamaica. It involved the following participants from
both the GOJ (Government of Jamaica) and the Colombian government:
1.
Colombia's Environmental Studies
Institute, (INVEMAR)
2.
The Omacha Foundation
3.
An expert in marine mammals, most likely
someone from the UWI Biology Department
4.
A PCJ geologist
The
purpose of the Survey is best explained by Senior Geologist at the PCJ, Dr
Gavin Gunter, quote: “The survey has provided a comprehensive view of the
existing ecosystem in the Joint Regime Area which will inform what mitigation
measures should be taken whenever development activity is undertaken. By
knowing what exists and by understanding the various factors operating in the
environment, we can pursue development in a manner that preserves the ecosystem.”
The
Joint Regime Area south of Pedro Cays (also pronounced and spelled “Keys”) is
defined as the areas in the Caribbean Sea as thus:
1.
Alice Shoal (Bajo Alicia)
2.
Serranilla Bank (BancoSerranilla)
3.
New Bank (Bajo Nuevo)
The
Jamaica/Colombia Environmental Baseline Survey captured the following data in
the above defined area:
1. Geomorphology
(fancy term for the history of the Geology of the Features underwater!)
2. Mapping
underwater mountains canyons and other geological features
3. Mapping
data for Ecosystems and the species that call the area home
4. Location
of the Main Reefs, which are important spawning grounds for fish and other
underwater wildlife
5.
Headcount of endangered species in the
area defined
6.
EIA (Environmental Impact assessment) on
the reefs that any Oil Drilling may potentially have
Jamaica
and Colombia have quite a history that matches our proximity, which is closer
than that of Florida in the US. Here’s hoping that Sagres Energy and their
mystery drilling partner can discover Oil by November 2014AD and put Jamaica on
a path to economic sustainability.
That
only leaves the politicians to worry about as it relates to their usage of any
new found Oil Wealth as opined in my blog
article entitled “Bruce
Golding, Corruption in the PCJ and the search for Oil” and its use for
South Coast Development as opined in my blog
article entitled “South
Coast development in Clarendon necessary for JLP victory”.
A
big boost to Jamaica’s GDP and in the process creating jobs for Engineering
folks, much like the coming construction of the LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) Power
Station and the supply of LNG to local companies to boost Private Sector
productivity as opined in noted in my blog article entitled “Samsung
C&T Corp of Korea secured for LNG Regasification Plant and Pipelines -
Jamaican Contractors to benefit from National Project to Secure Jamaica's
Energy Future”.
1 comment:
This is my fіrst time ρay a quick νisit at herе and i am in fact
imρresseԁ to read all at single plaсe.
Also see my web page :: 3c greenopolis master plan
Post a Comment