Jamaica awaits results of offshore oil and gas exploration

Jamaica could know within two to three months whether recent offshore exploration has revealed evidence of oil and gas, according to Energy Minister Daryl Vaz.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Vaz said data and samples collected during the exploration exercise are now being sent to a laboratory in the United States for detailed analysis.

Vaz disclosed that United Oil & Gas PLC completed its surface geochemical exploration programme on February 28, following 34 days of offshore work.

During the exercise, 1,189 line kilometres of echo sounder data were collected to map the sea floor across the Walton Basin and Morant Bay Basin.

Further data were gathered using heat flow probes to analyse temperature gradients beneath the seabed, while piston core samples were taken from 42 locations across the basins to test for the presence of oil and gas.

The energy minister said the research vessel involved in the project returned to Kingston Harbour before departing again to undertake the next phase of work.

“These cores are being offloaded and are now en route to a lab in the United States for detailed analysis. Results are expected within two to three months,” Vaz said.

“This is simply not a technical exercise. It is a meaningful step towards understanding the geological potential of offshore Jamaica. The data collected was state-of-the-art and will inform evidence-based decision-making about the country’s energy future,” he added.

Vaz also noted that the exploration programme was completed without incident.

He said there were no safety issues, environmental accidents or conflicts with fisherfolk during the exercise.

“As we await the lab results, the Government remains committed to a responsible, science-based approach. Exploration does not mean exploitation without safeguards. It means gathering facts, analysing data and making informed decisions in the best interest of Jamaica,” the energy minister said.

He cautioned against speculation about the possible discovery of oil or gas and urged the public to rely on official updates.

“So once again, I caution everybody to be patient and calm and to listen to the Government on this very sensitive matter … it will be two to three months before we hear anything, positive or negative, so we don’t expect to hear any rumours circulating about the discovery of oil or gas.”

In a related development, United Oil & Gas PLC, which holds the Walton Morant offshore licence, launched a new internal technical podcast outlining the geological case for oil exploration around Jamaica.

The podcast, On the Rocks, is intended to give shareholders and stakeholders a closer look at the data guiding the company’s exploration programme. Its first episode features Business Technical Manager Paul Ryan and Head of Business Development Donal Meehan, who discuss what they describe as strong indicators of a working petroleum system offshore Jamaica.

“There’s really just an awful lot of evidence there,” Meehan said in the debut episode. He pointed to what the company describes as a proven petroleum system onshore in Jamaica and a combination of offshore indicators including satellite data, seismic interpretation and rock analysis. “Everything’s pointed in the right direction that we do have an active petroleum system in the offshore as well as the onshore,” he added.