Salamander Energy has announced that its Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) for exploration drilling in the G4/50 licence, Greater Bualuang area, Gulf of Thailand, has been granted conditional approval.
Of the 20 drilling locations in the original EIA, 18 have been approved subject to: updating the oil spill response modelling to account for the removal of two potential drilling locations, and communicating the removal of the two locations to local stakeholders.
In addition, the Thai authorities have stipulated technical adjustments to the drafting. The 18 locations include all of Salamander’s top ranked prospects in the G4/50 licence and the company expects to start exploration drilling before the end of 2014.
James Menzies , Chief Executive of Salamander, commented: “We have long been excited about the potential of the G4/50 licence. Now that we have the EIA’s in hand we look forward to a low cost, but high impact, exploration drilling programme over the next twelve months.”