Monday, November 12, 2007 'We have to develop our energy' By Elias O. Baquero Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE oil and gas exploration in Tañon Strait will start on Thursday, as announced by Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Angelo Reyes, despite fears from environmentalists that it may destroy marine life.
As the price of oil approaches US$100 a barrel, the potential discovery of commercially viable quantities of oil and gas may seem like good news.
When the initial seismic surveys ended about two years ago, DOE Undersecretary Guillermo Balce was quoted as saying that Tañon could yield up to 100 million barrels of oil.
Environmentalists and some leaders of academe, however, are wary that allowing the activity in a protected seascape will be more trouble than it’s worth.
“How should we really look at Tañon Strait?” Silliman University president Dr. Ben Malayang said in a recent forum. “Should we look at it as a protected area, or an energy development area?”
“Have we attempted to put the alternative value of the Tañon Strait if it were to remain as such? What is the present value of Tañon Strait as against what could be its value if it were to be a source of oil?”
DOE Visayas Director Antonio Labios discusses how the government will protect Tañon Strait when the Japan Petroleum Exploration Company (Japex) begins drilling its exploratory well this week.
How will the DOE safeguard Tañon Strait during the oil exploration and drilling?
Japex has measures ready for implementation during emergency situations, like an oil spill.
The oil rig has the capability to handle a spill within its area. Immediately after any oil spill is spotted, it can be eradicated through a dispersant, skimmer or sprayer and other equipment. A small spill can be quickly acted upon.
What if it’s a big oil spill?
We will coordinate with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Tsuneishi Heavy Industries Inc. in Balamban, Cebu, which has oil spill prevention capability. The Coast Guard, on the other hand, is mandated to investigate oil spills.
Japex is now a member of an oil spill prevention group based in Singapore. It was so unfortunate that the owner of the tanker that hauled Petron fuel, which caused that oil spill in Guimaras, is not a member of that group, maybe because there is a membership fee of US$30,000 per year.
What services can members of that group get in times of emergency?
Once informed about an oil spill, the group will respond within 24 hours by sending aircraft and equipment to prevent the spread of the spill and to remove the oil that’s already at sea.
Is there any risk of an oil spill during the exploration and drilling?
The exploration does not involve oil production and a spill is a remote possibility, because there will be no oil extraction yet.
And in the Philippines, there is no history of oil spills during an exploration and drilling.
What can you say about Japex’s track record in such explorations?
The company has been in operation for more than 50 years already and it has had no incidence of an oil spill in all its activities.
What are the other measures to safeguard Tañon Strait?
We will require waste treatment. All the water used in the exploration and drilling must pass water treatment before being disposed at sea. Japex is following international standards in waste disposal. The crew will not even be allowed to throw a single cigarette butt into the sea.
Also, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has approved an area in Aloguinsan, Cebu as the dumping site for drill cuttings. Waste cuttings have no toxic chemicals and are water-based.
How true are the allegations of the Fisherfolks Development Center (Fidec) leaders that explorations and drilling could affect marine life?
Japex chose an area without corals, so there will be no corals affected. The drilling site is far from fish sanctuaries. It will also avoid hitting shallow gas deposits to avoid explosions.
But most importantly, all the exploration and drilling activities must follow all the conditions listed in the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) issued by DENR.
Dr. Ben Malayang, president of Silliman University, has expressed apprehension that the fish will disappear and that may jeopardize the livelihood of marginal fishermen.
Studies conducted as a requirement of the ECC showed that it will not disturb the fish in Tañon Strait. In fact, in drilling operations in Palawan, the fish have even gathered near the exploration vessel.
But even former DENR secretary Angel Alcala has said there are documented instances when fish disappeared during seismic surveys.
A drilling is different from a seismic survey. Unlike a seismic survey that creates sounds, the drilling will not disturb the fish. In drilling, we need only 80 meters by 70 meters or an equivalent of 5,000 square meters that will be affected, where the fishermen will not be allowed to enter.
But in other areas in Aloguinsan and Pinamungajan, they can continue fishing.
A seismic survey was done in 2005 and the result was made the basis for this oil drilling. When the seismic survey was conducted, the fish disappeared for a while, but came back after two weeks.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar), after conducting a study, reported that the fishermen benefited from a larger catch.
In a forum at the University of San Carlos, businessman Felix Taguiam of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry said he was worried that the whales that have attracted foreign and local tourists will disappear once the drilling is conducted.
The drilling cannot disturb the whales because this is only stationary.
How will the DOE know if all these safeguards and measures will be followed during exploration?
We will create a multi-sector monitoring task force to be headed by DENR to look for violations and observe the movement of fish during the exploration activity.
What are the government’s short-term and long-term plans to address the increase in fuel prices?
First of all, the rise in fuel prices is because of demand. All of the fuel we consume in the country is imported.
We have to explore and develop our own energy resources, particularly oil and gas.
We have to develop our indigenous energy resources that also include geothermal, micro-hydro resources and alternative fuel, like ethanol and coco-diesel.
