Somaliland Ministry Of Water & Minerals Soon To Publish Seismic Survey Data

Hargeysa, Somaliland, December 22, 2007 (SL Times) – A press communiqué issued by the ministry of Water and Minerals on 16 Dec. 2007 stated that the ministry will soon publish the data of the survey carried out by the Norwegian seismic survey specialists ‘ TGS-NOPED’ early this year near eastern Berbera coastal area and parts of Sanag region as well as other data collected by TGS.

Ministry’s statement:

The Somaliland ministry of Water and Natural Resources has been given the mandate to explore and extract the natural resources of the Republic of Somaliland. As a result of this mandate at the end of February 2007 an extensive Seismic Survey was inaugurated to explore the availability and quantity of natural resources within the borders of Somaliland as well as its coastline. The survey was designed to determine the presence of Oil and Natural Gas in  Somaliland.    

The survey will be conducted by the TSG/NOPEC Geophysical Company with the express agreement of the government of Somaliland. The survey was conducted in two parts, an Aeromagnetic gravity survey from the air, and a Seismic Survey of the sea, in North and East Somaliland. 

The aerial survey will begin before the end of December 2007 and will be co-coordinated with current surveys that have begun in the Zeylac-Berbera corridor of Somaliland's  Gulf of Aden coast. 

In conclusion

It is the conclusion of the Somaliland ministry of Water and Natural Resources along with other invested Departments, such National Defense, Fisheries, Home Affairs, Finance, Civil Aviation and Public Works, as well a the residents of all Somaliland six provinces, that Somaliland's natural resources must be safeguarded and developed for the benefit of the people of Somaliland, the region and the World in an environmentally responsible manner……end of press statement.

Parts of this report was contributed by Omar Mohamed Farah in Hargeysa

Source: Somaliland Times