MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile plans to drill eight wells looking for oil and gas in Magallanes region

ENAP has a long experience with hydrocarbons in the extreme south of Chile

Chilean government oil and gas corporation, ENAP, presented this week the environment impact assessment for a project to drill eight wells for the extraction of hydrocarbons in the extreme south region of Magallanes in the so-called “Sub-block Manantiales”.

The project is part of the exploration, production, refining and transport of hydrocarbons activities developed by ENAP since over half a century in Magallanes, a region which at one point managed to supply Chile with 20% of its oil and gas demand.

The new project, involving almost ten million dollars, is directed to explore new reserves and extraction in the Sub block Manantiales, “incorporating a geo-referenced polygon of environmental exclusion which has yet to define the exact drilling positions”, according to the ENAP environment impact statement.

In the first stage before the drilling begins, access roads have to be constructed, as well as a deposit for the equipment, materials and the special mud pools. On a second stage, if the drilling is successful, pipelines for oil and gas will have to be built for the transport of hydrocarbons. This stage will need a further environment impact assessment, says ENAP.

The project is programmed to take off next September and will have a time span of twenty years.