Sagres Energy readies for Oil Exploration Test Well by November 2014AD - Jamaica-Colombia Environmental Baseline Survey reveals Deep Impact of Oil Drilling

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 15^th 2006 AD had announced on Friday August 27^th 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”.