Hon. Nani Juwara, The Minister of Petroleum and Energy
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Minister Of Petroleum, and Energy Hon. Nani Jawara, on Wednesday updated the parliament on the status of The Gambia oil drilling.
Hon. Yahya Sanyang, the National Assembly member for LatriKunda Sabiji, asked the Minister to inform the Assembly about the status of oil drilling following the completion of 3D seismic and airborne surveys.
In response, Minister Juwara explained, “seismic acquisition is a prerequisite for the drilling of wells. In other words, before any well is drilled today, the proponent has to acquire seismic data, the objective of this undertaking is to help reduce the risk by studying and identifying the potential areas where oil may be found.”
He noted that after acquiring seismic data, including 3D surveys, five wells have been drilled in The Gambia. The first two wells, Brikama 1 and Serekunda 1, were drilled onshore in 1960 and 1961 by BP. The third well, Jammeh 1, was drilled offshore in 1979 by Chevron. The fourth well, Samo 1, was drilled offshore 39 years later in 2018, and the fifth well, Bambo 1, was drilled in 2020, both by FAR.
Minister Juwara highlighted that from 1960 to 2018, only one offshore well was drilled in The Gambia. However, from 2018 to date, two offshore exploration wells have been drilled.
Minister Juwara stated that Currently, out of eight offshore exploration blocks, one block (A4) is operated by Petronor. “We have amplified the promotion of our acreages this year, and we are working on the key factors that make the investment climate attractive for investors. One of such is a holistic review of all the laws that interact with the petroleum sector to ensure that inconsistencies, gaps etc are eliminated. We are currently working on a petroleum exploration development and production bill that reflects current industry best practices and is free of inconsistencies with other laws,”he said.
He added that they are also working on other legislation to promote investment in the upstream petroleum sub-sector and count on the National Assembly’s support for the smooth and swift passage of these important documents.
Minister Juwara assured members that they will continue to engage with companies and keep the National Assembly informed at the appropriate times.