Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority
Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority
Ms. Zaamwani pointed out that as the Act does not differentiate between onshore and offshore mining, operators experience some difficulties. In particular, since the Act does not cater for modern technology essential for offshore geophysical surveys, certain procedural and logistical problems are encountered. Ms. Zaamwani said that the Ministry of Mines requires that all raw data collected during the surveys must be submitted to it. She said that most operators use contractors based outside Namibia, and data is normally taken to Capetown and processed using very specialized proprietary computer systems. Since the raw data has to be submitted to the Ministry, she said that costly administrative processing is involved. She pointed out that the raw data is of very little use to the Ministry, as it does not have the technical capacity to interpret such data. Ms. Zaamwani said that during the term of a licence, the information and data are kept confidential in closed files until such time as the license area is relinquished or abandoned. Upon relinquishment, the information and data are transferred to an open file and is used by the Geological Survey for investment promotion. She pointed out that any interested third party could have access to the open files, free of charge. The rationale of free access to data she said, is that a new company or investor interested in an area that has been looked at previously need not go through the entire process. She stated that Namibia also attaches immense importance to the protection of the marine environment and the law requires that an environmental impact assessment statement must be submitted before prospecting can be allowed. She concluded by saying that the Minerals Act contains provisions for submission of data and information in a very comprehensive manner. 19. Status report on the data and reporting requirements of Norway’s offshore licensing policies as it relates to petroleum exploitation Dr. Bente Nyland, Project Director in Norway’s Petroleum Directorate reported on the Data and information requirements of Norway’s petroleum industry. Providing an overview of Norway’s petroleum industry, Dr. Nyland informed participants that Norway’s offshore sedimentary basins covered an area of approximately 1.4 million sq km. Of this amount, about 60 percent is open for petroleum activities but only around 10 per cent are INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 60
licensed areas. Dr. Nyland stated that petroleum operations play a substantial role in the Norwegian economy and contribute a major share of the revenue to the state. Norway ranks as the world’s second largest exporter of crude oil after Saudi Arabia. She also said that Norway is the world’s tenth largest exporter of gas and supplies 10 percent of Western Europe’s consumption. With regard to production, she pointed out that petroleum operations in Norway are mainly in the North Sea that has been divided between Norway and its neighbours using the median line principle by agreements with the UK and Denmark in 1965. The border with Russia in the Barents Sea is still under negotiation. With regard to licensing, she stated that the Norwegian continental shelf is divided into quadrants each comprising 12 blocks covering 15 minutes latitude and 20 minutes longitude. The average area of a North Sea block is around 600 sq km. A licensee can cover more than one block. Dr. Nyland said that the Petroleum Act of 1996 specifies that the proprietary right to regulate petroleum deposits in the Norwegian continental shelf be vested in the State. The Act regulates petroleum operations, the granting of permits and licenses to explore, produce and transport recovered materials. She said that the procedural requirements are detailed in the Act. In areas not available for exploration activities, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate can undertake regional geophysical and geological investigations for the purpose of understanding the geological conditions and hydrocarbon potential of such areas. Dr. Nyland informed participants that a scientific research license can be granted to Norwegian or foreign scientific institutions through a permit which would normally cover one particular investigation. The permit is generally free and allows licensees to carry out geophysical and geological surveys. The permit does not confer any exclusive right to undertake research in the areas covered by the permit. It also does not give any right or priority to exploit possible natural resources. Upon conclusion of the surveys, a report must be submitted on the extent and execution of the research including the results, and must be published. Dr. Nyland pointed out that it is only in areas where sufficient regional data are available, and after environmental assessment studies, that the Norwegian Parliament can open the area for general exploration. In such cases, companies can apply for the reconnaissance license for geological, geophysical, petrophysical, INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 61
- Page 18 and 19: SECRETARIAT Ambassador Satya N. Nan
- Page 20 and 21: is to submit “an application that
- Page 22 and 23: that was established to help protec
- Page 24 and 25: on the continental margin. He state
- Page 26 and 27: with the German firm Preussag. As p
- Page 28 and 29: metre or metres of these black smok
- Page 30 and 31: nodules in terms of these metals -
- Page 32 and 33: Professor Herzig stressed however t
- Page 34 and 35: While noting that the continuity of
- Page 36 and 37: asal diameter at 1,600 m water dept
- Page 38 and 39: discovery of the new hydrothermal s
- Page 40 and 41: esearch cruises dedicated to ferrom
- Page 42 and 43: global mid-ocean ridge system. He p
- Page 44 and 45: athymetric map of the seafloor. A s
- Page 46 and 47: were encouraging. In the course of
- Page 48 and 49: that this matter was sensitive, he
- Page 50 and 51: complete a preliminary evaluation o
- Page 52 and 53: metals - nickel, cobalt, manganese,
- Page 54 and 55: 12. Issues to be taken into account
- Page 56 and 57: entities. Many of them included min
- Page 58 and 59: In this regard, the Secretary-Gener
- Page 60 and 61: According to Dr. Vysotsky, as estim
- Page 62 and 63: With regard to current knowledge ab
- Page 64 and 65: Dr. Corbett gave a brief account of
- Page 66 and 67: River resulting in the introduction
- Page 70 and 71: geochemical and geotechnical survey
- Page 72 and 73: of its continental shelf through bi
- Page 74 and 75: also stated, is similar to that of
- Page 76 and 77: Chapter 7 Technical requirements fo
- Page 78 and 79: Table 1: Classification of marine m
- Page 80 and 81: Volcanogenic Metalliferous sediment
- Page 82 and 83: deposits, including massive sulphid
- Page 84 and 85: 3. Marine Minerals Related to Deep
- Page 86 and 87: The black smoker chimneys dischargi
- Page 88 and 89: contain metals are present at discr
- Page 90 and 91: Figure 4. A diagrammatic east-west
- Page 92 and 93: and refining of these crusts is mor
- Page 94 and 95: distances of hundreds of kilometres
- Page 96 and 97: 2) Deep ocean hot springs at massiv
- Page 98 and 99: 6. P.A. Rona, M.D. Hannington, C.V.
- Page 100 and 101: 25. M.J. Cruickshank (1998), Law of
- Page 102 and 103: With regard to marine mineral depos
- Page 104 and 105: Focussing on sites of sea floor min
- Page 106 and 107: scientific journal "Nature". The su
- Page 108 and 109: Professor Rona recalled that the in
- Page 110 and 111: like St. Stephen’s in the Kremlin
- Page 112 and 113: He noted that another product of ho
- Page 114 and 115: The reasons why the Red Sea deposit
- Page 116 and 117: a number of geothermal wells have b
Ms. Zaamwani pointed out that as the Act does not differentiate<br />
between onshore and offshore mining, operators experience some difficulties.<br />
In particular, since the Act does not cater for modern technology essential for<br />
offshore geophysical surveys, certain procedural and logistical problems are<br />
encountered. Ms. Zaamwani said that the Ministry of Mines requires that all<br />
raw data collected during the surveys must be submitted to it. She said that<br />
most operators use contractors based outside Namibia, and data is normally<br />
taken to Capetown and processed using very specialized proprietary<br />
computer systems. Since the raw data has to be submitted to the Ministry, she<br />
said that costly administrative processing is involved. She pointed out that<br />
the raw data is of very little use to the Ministry, as it does not have the<br />
technical capacity to interpret such data.<br />
Ms. Zaamwani said that during the term of a licence, the information<br />
and data are kept confidential in closed files until such time as the license area<br />
is relinquished or abandoned. Upon relinquishment, the information and<br />
data are transferred to an open file and is used by the Geological Survey for<br />
investment promotion. She pointed out that any interested third party could<br />
have access to the open files, free of charge. The rationale of free access to<br />
data she said, is that a new company or investor interested in an area that has<br />
been looked at previously need not go through the entire process. She stated<br />
that Namibia also attaches immense importance to the protection of the<br />
marine environment and the law requires that an environmental impact<br />
assessment statement must be submitted before prospecting can be allowed.<br />
She concluded by saying that the <strong>Minerals</strong> Act contains provisions for<br />
submission of data and information in a very comprehensive manner.<br />
19. Status report on the data and reporting requirements of Norway’s<br />
offshore licensing policies as it relates to petroleum exploitation<br />
Dr. Bente Nyland, Project Director in Norway’s Petroleum Directorate<br />
reported on the Data and information requirements of Norway’s petroleum<br />
industry. Providing an overview of Norway’s petroleum industry, Dr.<br />
Nyland informed participants that Norway’s offshore sedimentary basins<br />
covered an area of approximately 1.4 million sq km. Of this amount, about 60<br />
percent is open for petroleum activities but only around 10 per cent are<br />
INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 60
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