Algarve Oil

Algarve unites - 'a state of war' will exisit if oil contracts are not scrapped

Paul Rees

The Algarve will enter 'a state of war' with the government if the State insists on continuing to aid Galp-ENI in its plan to sink a test well off Aljezur and fails to scrap all current oil and gas exploration concessions and licences.

An explosive meeting today saw the region’s mayors, joined by the mayor of Odemira in the lower Alentejo, join forces with the Algarve’s ‘Big Five’ business associations, leaders from environmental associations and pressure groups, and several personalities, to call a halt to the government’s strategy to assist oil companies with their exploration and drilling contracts.

Next anti-oil protest during Galp-ENI's court appearance in Loulé

Algarve Livre de Petróleo and Stop Petróleo Vila do Bispo

Following an 'anti-oil and gas exploration' protest held last Friday, February 16th, in Loulé, the Movement for an Algarve Free of Oil (MALP) and the Vila do Bispo Stop Oil Group, issued the following report.

Several individual citizens, and representatives of various anti-oil movements, protested to Loulé council against the exploration of gas and oil off the Algarve and Alentejo coastlines.

Oil drilling held up by Environmental Impact Assessment

Paul Rees

The economy minister’s office today stated that the planned oil drilling off the Aljezur coast will not go ahead until the conclusion, publication and public discussion of an environmental impact assessment, that already is underway.

Having asked the question, Communist Party MPs, Paulo Sá and João Ramos were assured that nothing would happen until this report was concluded and discussed.

Algarve Tourist Board boss slams oil licence extension

Paul Rees

The Algarve’s tourist board (RTA) has expressed "opposition and dissatisfaction" with the year’s extension of the license for the exploration of oil and natural gas.

The authority joins the Algarve’s mayors and five of the region’s top business groups, in condemning the government’s move to facilitate the Repsol-Partex consortium’s plan to start drilling off the Vicentina coast.

Algarve's 'Big Five' business groups back anti-oil fight

Paul Rees

The Algarve’s Big Five business associations have thrown their weight behind the region’s mayors in condemning the government’s continuing push for oil and gas exploration off the Aljezur coast.

ACRAL, AHETA, AHISA, CEAL and NERA* is in total support of mayors’ group, the Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve, AMAL for short.

Algarve mayors present united front against oil licence renewal

Paul Rees

The Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve, AMAL, issued a statement today, criticising the Government's decision to renew an oil exploration license for the area off Aljezur where Galp-ENI intends to drill this Spring.

AMAL asks that the government cancels the permission, with its president, Jorge Botelho, stating that at its meeting this week, the 16 Algarve mayors all voted, "against the extension of the exploration licence to drill," awarded to the consortium.

Portugal's oil industry report - "a billion spent and not a drop of oil in 80 years"

Paul Rees

In a report that has baffled observers and activists in Portugal’s various anti-oil associations and action groups, the National Entity for the Fuel Market (ENMC) has issued a report stating that despite decades of oil exploration, the companies involved all have drawn a blank.

The stab at the cost to date is “around €1 billion” according to the pro-oil ENMC which has acted more like an adjunct to those oil companies involved in the concession licences than a taxpayer funded advisory service.

Algarve MPs demand to see paperwork justifying oil licence extension

Paul Rees

Left Bloc stalwarts João Vasconcelos and Jorge Costa have sent two applications to parliament requesting a key set of documents associated with the one-year renewal of the oil exploration, drilling and extraction licence awarded to the Galp-ENI consortium.

The MPs consider that the four documents should be available as they were used to justify the granting of an extension to the contract.