DILI, 15 november 2022 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals (MoPM), through the Institute of Petroleum and Geology (IPG), organized a four-day international geoscience conference to pave the way for the gathering of geological data and information to be used for economic diversification and sustainable development.
In his opening speech, the Minister of Petroleum and Minerals, Victor da Conceição Soares said the conference was important for the presentation of Geoscience Data and Information, which is important to attract international investors.
“The geoscientific data and information give us details about the types of natural resources we have in the country. This data and information would also be useful for international investors to study our natural resources and invest in Timor-Leste,” Minister Soares told reporters at the Díli Convention Center.
Soares said that the ministry, through the IPG, would make efforts to continue with the work of collecting data on natural resources, both onshore and offshore, to help international oil, gas, and mineral companies invest in the country.
“People want to invest in the country, and our job is to ensure that we have enough geoscientific data and maps on the details of our natural resource,” he said.
At the same place, Oktoviano de Jesus, the IPG Vice President and President of the Organizing Committee of the conference said that the mineral data, especially gold and silver minerals, had been collected through the IPG’s Stream Sediment Studies.
“The silt, sand, mud, and clay in our streams and riverbed had been collected and sent for laboratory analysis in Canada, Australia, and Indonesia,” Oktoviano said.
He said Timor-Leste currently had no laboratory to conduct laboratory analysis of mineral samples: “Therefore, the country needed adequate equipment, including mineral testing laboratory, oil, and gas laboratory and human resources to conduct oil, gas and mineral data analysis.
“We continue to work on data collection and hope that one day we will have enough data available for our national and international gas, oil and mineral companies to invest in Timor-Leste,” he said.
In addition, Oktoviano said the IPG would soon bring Timor-Leste’s offshore oil and gas data from Australia Geoscience: “Within two or three months, this data would be available in Timor-Leste.”
He said the fifth international geoscience conference aimed to bring together national and international scientists in the field of geology, petroleum, minerals, and geological hazards (earthquakes and tsunamis; landslides; groundwater) to present their research and studies in the areas of geoscience.
Oktoviano emphasized that the geoscientific data and information would be collected and used by foreign investors that want to come to Timor-Leste.
The theme of the conference is: “Geoscientific Data and Information for Investment and Sustainable Development of Timor-Leste.”
A number of important topics would be covered during the four-day conference, including governing geological resources for Timor-Leste development, geological survey data and information for the economic development of the country, the sustainability of geological resource management, and economic development and the volatility of geological resources and geo-hazards.
The IPG allocated around US$100,000 for the realization of IPG’s fifth international geosciences conference.
The conference was attended by international oil, gas, and mineral companies, geoscience experts, and more than 500 participants.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
