BPC to contest challenge to offshore Bahamas drilling
Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) has commented on an application by environmental groups to block its forthcoming exploration well in Bahamian waters.
The opposing parties are seeking permission from the Supreme Court of The Bahamas to apply for a judicial review of the government’s decision earlier this year to grant environmental authorisation for the Perseverance #1 well.
In addition, they are seeking a stay of the authorisation pending the outcome of a judicial review, and an extension of time to make their application, and have also raised other legal arguments to support their claims.
However, BPC’s understanding is that the government will oppose the application.
As drilling is due to start before the end of this year, the company expects the application for a stay to be determined by the court prior to the start of operations.
CEO Simon Potter said: “BPC will vigorously oppose the application, and we understand that the government of The Bahamas will be doing likewise. BPC’s drilling plans have been public knowledge for almost a decade, and the government provided environmental authorisation to BPC in February 2020, following an extensive programme of work.
“Environmental activists could have sought to bring this application at any time – that they have waited until now, on the cusp of drilling, speaks to their true agenda, which is not any real concern for judicial process but simply to disrupt and stop our lawful activity…
“With the islands facing economic fragility, suffering from both hurricane damage and the impacts of COVID-19, a successful petroleum discovery has the potential to rebase the economy, generate billions in revenues over the life of the project and create new contracts and jobs.”
Mr Potter added that no oil will be produced by Perseverance #1 as the well is purely a fact-finding exercise of short duration.
“In the past ten years, many thousands of offshore oil wells have been drilled safely and without incident all around the world, and many other nations in the region such as the USA, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, and Guyana, have over the past decades safely and responsibly drilled offshore wells, developed or continue to develop offshore hydrocarbon resources, and reaped the economic benefits of an established or a whole new industry.”
Source: Offshore Magazine