Cuba awards environmental licence for Melbana’s exploration well in Block 9

The Ministry of Science Technology and an environmental regulatory authority in Cuba has awarded Melbana Energy an environmental licence for its proposed Alameda-1 exploration well in Block 9.

The licence allows Melbana to carry out planned activities for the first of two wells in its exploration programme.

Having also secured a microlocalisation permit for the well, the company now needs to obtain a Permit to Work and a final Approval to Drill before commencing drilling at Alameda-1.

Melbana Energy CEO Robert Zammit said: “Our Cuba and Melbourne-based drilling team is continuing to progress the necessary permits through the well-defined Cuban regulatory process.

“We are pleased to reach this milestone and look forward to finalising all regulatory approvals for the Alameda-1 well.

“Our team is also working to progress the same regulatory approvals for the Zapato exploration well, which are also progressing as expected.”

Earlier this month, the company completed a tender for the supply of a drilling rig for Block 9.

Covering 2,380km², the Block 9 production sharing contract (PSC) is located onshore of the north coast of Cuba and was awarded in 2015.

The Alameda-1 prospect is said to have an exploration potential of 2.5 billion barrels of oil-in-place and 130 million barrels of recoverable oil.