DILI, 06 october 2021 (TATOLI) – The National Petroleum and Minerals Authority (ANPM) had ensured that there would be a non-environmental impact of the oil and gas exploration in Covalima, as the assessment of environmental implications of oil and gas exploration was conducted from 2017 to 2018.
“The assessment of environmental implications of oil and gas exploration is a long process and it has to go through a rigorous process. The exploration of oil and gas must adhere to the principles of the oil and gas industry to ensure it is safe and has no environmental impact to local communities,” President of ANPM, Florentino Mateus Soares Ferreira told Tatoli at his office, in Dili, on tuesday.
ANPM handed over environmental permits and permissions for onshore oil and gas exploration and extraction in the area of PSC TL-OT-17-08, to Timor Resource Enterprise, on october 6.
Timor Resources is permitted to drill two onshore blocks, and Timor GAP would drill two blocks as well, including one in Covalima and another in Manufahi, as the trial development projects of onshore oil and gas exploration and extraction in Timor-Leste.
Timor Resource through its Environmental Management Plan has committed to ensuring there would be no environmental impact and implication of the onshore oil and gas drilling.
He said ANPM would exercise its authority following the law to monitor and assist the whole process of oil and gas drilling: “To ensure safe and secure workplace for workers, ANPM had verified the safety case document of all facilities and equipment of the Timor Resource company,”
The first drilling of oil and gas in Covalima by Timor Resource would begin with Krau block and then moving to Suai Camanasa block.
ANPM, Timor-Resource, and the local community would organize a cultural ceremony of the onshore oil and gas drilling from 8 to 12 october before the actual drilling taking place.
Journalist: Florencio Miranda Ximenes
Editor: Julia Chatarina
Translation: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
