Falkland Gov1 Jun 2016 09:20
On hydrocarbons, exploration drilling operations with the Eirik Raude concluded in February 2016, and the demobilization of equipment and materials should be completed before the end of June. During the 2016/17 financial year, it is not currently expected that there will be further exploratory drilling operations. The Department of Mineral Resources will therefore refocus from regulating exploration activity towards working with Premier Oil to progress development planning for the Sea Lion field.
We have received and are reviewing a draft Field Development Plan covering the first phase of the Sea Lion development. The operator has entered the detailed Front End Engineering & Design (or FEED) process with their chosen major subcontractors. This process will continue to around the end of the 2016 calendar year, as all parties move towards the goal of Premier taking a project sanction decision on the Sea Lion development in mid-2017.
During the financial year a number of other major elements critical to the final Sea Lion development approval will be brought forward for discussion with FIG. This includes submission of a final Environmental Impact Statement covering offshore, inshore and onshore elements of the project. The consultation, review and assessment of this, the first development EIS, will represent a significant amount of work in the coming financial year. Discussions also continue on the oil export concept to be used for the Sea Lion development. These matters will continue to occupy not only the Department of Mineral Resources but also Natural Resources and Environmental Planning.
The approach of FIG to regulating the offshore industry has been one of continual improvement to ensure that the regulatory regime is fit for purpose and protects the interests and environment of the Falkland Islands. As part of this process there are currently detailed pieces of review work underway in core areas such as environmental legislation and offshore safety legislation, with a view to adopting additional measures that refine the already high standards applied to offshore activity, reflecting recent advances in other benchmark regulatory regimes such as the UK North Sea.
A further objective is to provide the necessary fiscal and licensing framework to ensure that the Falkland Islands are an attractive place for investment by the oil industry. As part of this, proposals to ease the current global challenges faced by the oil industry are being progressed, and have been welcomed by licensees.