Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Barbados to pursue offshore drilling

Saturday, August 26, 2006

by: Dawne Bennett
Caribbean Net News Barbados Correspondent
Email: dawne@caribbeannetnews.com

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Oil companies could have permission by the end of the year to drill in deep waters off Barbados, according to Minister of Energy and the Environment, Elizabeth Thompson, who says the award of bid blocks will start by year-end.

There is great anticipation about what the drilling will uncover and Thompson says "it is believed that there is a reservoir of oil that lies in our waters."

"An oil find will have significant beneficial impact for Barbados," she said.

Thomspon also revealed that government is in discussions for construction of a natural gas pipeline from Tobago to Barbados, running through the Eastern Caribbean and up to the French dependencies. She indicated that Cabinet is expected to sign off on this soon.

Speaking about the Barbados plan to focus on energy conservation, Thompson also indicated that her Ministry is working on a number of initiatives, which will be announced during National Energy Month in October, to refocus national attention on energy, and to launch a national energy policy.

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