Petronas to meet Antique officials soon
Representatives of Malaysian oil exploration firm Petronas will be coming over to Antique to brief local officials on its forthcoming drilling operations.
Gov. Salvacion Perez expects Petronas officials to arrive at her province next week, if not by the end of this week.
They will be explaining to us what they will be doing and what to expect, she said.
"So we're waiting for them to arrive," Perez said.
Concerns over the potential effect on the environment is also expected to be tackled during the briefing.
As the governor expressed elation over the discovery of oil deposits in her province, she pointed out that the confirmatory drillings which Petronas will conduct mean employment opportunity for the locals.
I insisted on localization, which is the hiring of the local residents for Petronas' manpower needs, the governor said.
Perez said that Petronas is open to the idea of hiring the locals for manpower.
Not only Culasi town but the whole province would benefit from this, she adds.
"It is a big opportunity for employment for the locals," Perez stressed.
Although she does not know how much manpower is needed, the governor said that the oil exploration would mean a big boost for local employment.
Petronas' offshore oil rig is due to arrive from Malaysia anytime this month. It was supposed to have arrived already but it was delayed, she said.
"It's en route as we speak," Perez said of the oil rig.
The offshore oil rig will conduct further drillings to confirm the initial findings of oil deposits in commercial quantities.
Early tests indicate the presence of an estimated 160 million barrels of crude oil.
The oil exploration is conducted jointly by Petronas and the Philippine National Oil Corporation, and is among the last official acts of former Energy Sec. Raphael Lotilla, a native of Antique.
The Malaysian oil giant shoulders 80% of the cost; PNOC for the remaining 20%.