MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands: Consultation to begin on Sea Lion offshore oil development, north of the Islands

A Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), so common offshore Brazil's Petrobras operations, would be operational at Sea Lion Filed

Following an extraordinary sitting of Executive Council on Monday 17 June, the Falkland Islands Government has agreed that there will be a public consultation from Monday 24 June to Monday 5 August 2024, on the Environmental Impact Statement for the Sea Lion Field Northern Development Area, Phase 1 and 2, which has been submitted by Navitas Petroleum Development and Production Limited.

 The development, located 220km to the north of the Falkland Islands, involves drilling 23 wells and the production of more than 300 million barrels of oil over 30 years through the use of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO).

The Offshore Minerals Ordinance requires that applications for offshore oil developments must be subject to a detailed process of Environmental Impact Assessment. This assessment has been underway for some time and is now documented in the Environmental Impact Statement. Information on how to access the documents and make representations will be provided by the Department of Mineral Resources at the start of the consultation period on Monday 24 June 2024. Navitas is also planning to undertake public engagement sessions across the Islands during this time.

Deputy Portfolio Holder for Natural Resources, MLA John Birmingham said: “Offshore hydrocarbons have the potential to be a significant part of our economy over the coming decades. At the same time, we recognize that the environmental impacts must be carefully managed and it is essential that the unique environment of the Falkland Islands is protected. We welcome the submission of the Environmental Impact Statement so that the public can express their views on the issues.”