MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay okays deepwater explorations to seek oil

The measure further shook Uruguay's energy endeavors and its commitment to climate goals and marine conservation

The Uruguayan Government of President Yamandú Orsi has greenlighted the so-called seismic exploration for oil in the country's territorial waters to the companies APA, PGS, CGG, and Searcher. The decision spurred controversies among environmentalist groups.

The seismic surveys will gather data on seven offshore blocks, which will then be sold to major oil companies (including Chevron, Shell, APA, and YPF) to help them decide whether to invest in more costly steps like exploratory drilling.

However, given the potential significant impact, Uruguay's Environment Ministry is requiring exploration vessels to immediately shut down their air guns if marine fauna is sighted within 1,000 meters, a more cautious standard than the usual 500 meters.

Despite these restrictions, the government also plans to declare certain areas as marine protected areas (MPAs) that, worryingly, overlap with the same blocks granted for oil exploration. These fragile areas include cold-water coral mounds and submarine canyon heads.

Scientists remain concerned about the effects of the underwater noise. Seismic exploration involves air guns that emit pulses exceeding 250 decibels every 10 seconds, which can cause severe harm to marine mammals (which rely on sound for survival), fish, and even zooplankton (the base of the food chain), potentially leading to hearing loss, behavioral changes, and mortality.

In this scenario, a coalition of environmental organizations has filed an injunction with the courts. They argue that seismic prospecting and subsequent oil exploration could cause irreversible damage to the ocean and its biodiversity, demanding a complete and independent evaluation of the cumulative impacts.

Meanwhile, APA is already moving forward with plans for an exploratory well in block OFF-6, located about 210 km offshore in waters deeper than 2,000 meters. The drilling campaign is planned for the second half of 2026.

Argentina's state oil company YPF has also partnered with Italy's ENI to explore block 5 and is optimistic about advancing to drilling in 2026, comparing the potential to the “gigantic oil discovery off the coast of Namibia.”