East African Business Week (Kampala)
Bosco Hitimana
18 October 2009
Kigali — The government of Rwanda is developing a Petroleum Exploration Policy and law to facilitate oil exploration in the country.
The State Minister for Energy and Water, Dr. Albert Butare, says the government is developing the policy with the help of experts.
The government is keen to see an accelerated oil exploration programme, according to the minister.
The legislative framework should be completed particularly to facilitate oil exploration in Lake Kivu.
The Minister recently held detailed discussions with the President of Vangold Resources Limited, Mr Dal Brynelsen, on the way forward for oil exploration in the lake.
Vangold, a Canadian firm, has been exploring for oil in Rwanda within the Lake, on the Concession Block since February 2007.
The first phase of the exploration programme was a technical evaluation including geochemical profiling, air magnetic and gravity survey, which ended early this year.
"The first phase ha many challenges but the survey did indicate that there is a basin in the lake,"Mr. Brynelsen said in a statement seen by East African Business Week.
The statement further states that Vangold's technical team is working with Texas based University of Houston to develop a terms of reference to undertake a lab simulation programme of running a seismic programme in the lake.
"This study will be completed by the end of the year and will address the environmental impact, specifically outlying the risks for seismic, drilling operation on the methane gas saturated lake," says Brynelsen.
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Once again, the Pied Piper of oil revenues is leading another nation to disaster. Develop an oil policy to still have oil to develop when the next millennium arrives. Oil developed slowly, and for your own use can be a small blessing for a long time. Developed quickly and for export, it will be a curse while you have it, and a different curse when you run out. The world doesn't need one more source of oil to suck dry before it cuts its usage. It just makes it into GHG and hurts your climate.