Angola to allow oil and gas drilling in some nature preservation zones By Candido Mendes on 2/21/2021
Okavango River Basin
(Bloomberg) Angolan lawmakers revoked a ban on exploration for crude and natural gas in protected natural reserves, including the Kassanje Basin and the wildlife-rich Okavango River Basin.
Prospecting will be allowed in 5% of protected zones and âpossiblyâ only 3% will be drilled, Mineral Resources Minister Diamantino Azevedo said.
âWhat weâre doing is not unheard of,â he said, citing the U.S., Norway and Gabon as examples of countries exploring for oil in protected zones. Oil revenues will benefit local communities and the parks themselves, he said.
Angolan lawmakers revoked a ban on exploration for crude and natural gas in protected natural reserves.
(Bloomberg) Angolan lawmakers revoked a ban on exploration for crude and natural gas in protected natural reserves, including the Kassanje Basin and the wildlife-rich Okavango River Basin.
Prospecting will be allowed in 5% of protected zones and “possibly” only 3% will be drilled, Mineral Resources Minister Diamantino Azevedo said.
“What we’re doing is not unheard of,” he said, citing the U.S., Norway and Gabon as examples of countries exploring for oil in protected zones. Oil revenues will benefit local communities and the parks themselves, he said.