MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile’s oil corporation to drill ten exploratory wells in Magallanes region

ENAP headquarters in the region is located in Punta Arenas

ENAP, Chile’s national oil and gas corporation announced it will invest 30 million dollars in drilling ten exploratory wells in Magallanes province, extreme south Patgonia and where the country’s main hydrocarbons resources are located.

“The project includes the drilling of ten exploratory wells in the Dorado block, distributed among two sub-areas in Mata Negra and Springhill, five in each of them”, said ENAP in the presentation of its environment impact assessment statement, DIA.

The proposed area for the development of the project corresponds to a geo-referenced polygon, which is considered the area of maximum exploratory potential, without identifying the precise location of the wells to be drilled.

However the DIA incorporates an exclusion zone inside the proposed polygon with the purpose of protection and conservation of fauna, soil, wild life and hydro resources.

The project is basically located in the San Gregorio community, in the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica region as it is officially identified in Chile. Access to the area is through the international route that links Punta Arenas with the international border pass with Argentina at Mount Aymond.

Work in the area is scheduled to begin December this year.