The Tribune

THE Ministry of Environment has issued a list of the companies granted licenses to search for oil in the Bahamas and their current status in response to continuing claims that the moratorium on exploratory drilling is being violated. Releasing the list, Environment Minister Earl Deveaux reiterated that the government told all licensees to "hold off" on drilling in 2008 due to boundary talks with Cuba, and the moratorium was extended following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Mr Deveaux said the moratorium is very much still in place and will continue to be until extensive study and consultation is carried out. He said: "The way of life in the Bahamas is defined and inextricably bound to its environment. Any significant decision with the potential to dramatically alter our environment should only be made after the widest possible consultation. Petroleum exploitation is one such decision." The companies granted oil exploration licenses were: * Liberty Oil & Refinery Associates - approved for two licences in 1995 for exploration north of Grand Bahama, South of the EEZ Line. Their licence was suspended pending the removal of a sunken vessel. Liberty Oil's director is listed as Kermit Water and the resident manager as Edward Darville. * BPC (Bahamas Offshore Petroleum) was issued six licences in June 2006 for exploration south of Andros and south of Grand Bahama with five of the licences expiring in 2009 and one approval rescinded. The directors listed on the applications include Adrian Collin, Dursley Scott, Simon Potter and Steven Weyel. Attorneys for BPC are Graham Thompson & Co, Davis & Co and Higgs & Johnson, with Jerome Gomez listed as the resident manager. Proposals still awaiting approval include: * NPT (Island Exploration Ltd) for exploration north of Grand Bahama/south of the EEZ line * BPC (Privateer Petroleum Limited) for exploration in Cay Sal. * Columbus Pillow for exploration in North Long Island (near the settlement of Seymours). Both NPT and BPC were approved to conduct Environmental Impact Assessments with NPT submitting an EIA and EMP for approval. Columbus Pillow was issued a permit to conduct non-invasive scientific research onshore.