FINN(COM) DAILY RECORD: THURSDAY, 07 APRIL 2005
Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)
Contents:
Section 1: Articles by FINN
Section 2: Press Releases
Section 3: Announcements
Section 4: FIBS News Direct
Section 1:
FLAGS HALF-MAST FOR POPE’S FUNERAL
By J. Brock (FINN)
As a mark of respect for the late Pope John Paul II, All Falkland Island Flags will be flown at half-mast on Friday, 08 April 2005. The Pope’s Memorial Mass will be held at 0700 on the day. A full report will be presented in Friday’s FINN(COM).
Section 2:
FOGL’S Exploration Update &
Appointment of Full Time Exploration Manager
Falkland Oil and Gas Limited (“FOGL”) announces the appointment of Patrick Bird as Exploration Manager.
Patrick (46) has twenty-four years experience of the oil and gas industry. For the past eight years he was been working for Premier Oil fulfilling various roles including: Exploration Manager - Pakistan; General Manager Exploration - UK; and CEO Premier Kufpec Pakistan.
He has previously held exploration roles at Dragon Oil and at Scott Pickford, a consultancyspecialising in geology, geophysics and petroleum engineering analyses. He began his career as a petroleum engineer for Shell International in 1981.
Patrick replaces Jim Webb who had been acting as project manager for FOGL on a part-time basis. It is now clear that FOGL requires a full time exploration manager and Jim felt unable to commit to a full-time role.
Exploration Update
FOGL is currently undertaking a 10,000km 2D seismic survey over its licence areas. It announced on 17 February, when the survey was 50% completed, that the early processed results had provided further information on the 8 leads referred to in the AIM ListingProspectus, as well as identifying several additional leads which could warrant further work. Overall, the indications for the data were encouraging.
Now with some 80% of the survey completed, it is evident that there are several differentplay types (tilted fault blocks, rollovers, channels, seafloor fans, basement on lap) each with several leads. It is particularly encouraging that possible Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators (DHI's - which can be due to rock effects as well as oil and gas) are associated with a number of the leads - and these DHI's could be indicative of a working petroleum system.
John Armstrong, Executive Chairman of FOGL, said:
“ Although it is still too early to be definitive, the indications to date are encouraging; we have identified additional leads in the original licence area as well as a number of new leads in the licence area awarded to FOGL in December 2004. As a result, FOGL has many more opportunities than originally anticipated.
Further 2D and 3D seismic programs, and possibly an Electromagnetic Survey, will be needed to fully evaluate the play types and leads to define prospects for drilling. The fully processed and interpreted results of the entire survey are expected to be available in the third quarter.
T he appointment of a full time exploration manager with extensive experience is testament to FOGL’s development and circumstances. Patrick’s appointment will help to ensure that we have the capability to properly assess and investigate all of the opportunities that are emerging from the current 2D seismic survey. I would like to thank Jim for his valuable contribution to FOGL in its first year, particularly during the IPO process. I wish him the best for the future.”
7 April 2005
University of Ulster Online - News Release
A researcher from the University of Ulster is finding out what the climate and landscape was like thousands of years ago from a unique rock formation in the Falkland Islands.
Dr Peter Wilson, from the School of Environmental Sciences, is employing the latest scientific techniques to determine how old the unusual rocks are, how they were formed and what type of climate changes helped create them.
“These boulder streams, as they are known, have been found in other parts of the world but these particular streams in the Falklands are more extensive by far,” said Dr Wilson.
“The streams are made up of massive boulders, aligned in a valley or slope that stretch for several kilometres in length and can be several hundred meters wide. Often the streams are partially destroyed by glaciers and frost action, as we have seen in the United States, but in the Falklands they have been preserved like nowhere else on earth.”
The perfectly preserved formation of the boulder streams in the Falkland Islands combined with the latest radiation techniques for dating the rocks, will help give the researchers some clue as to the age of these boulders and to the cold climates and changing landscapes they have been exposed to over the last 100,000 years.
“Scientists have been writing about these unique boulder streams since Charles Darwin first discovered them in 1845, but no one knows how old they are. Our research indicates that different parts of the formation date back to different stages of history, with the rocks nearer to the bottom of the valley possibly dating as far back as 130,000 years ago,” Dr Wilson added.
“It is generally accepted that the boulders were driven from cliffs by intense frost-action processes in a period of severely cold climate and then moved slowly downhill but we are not certain when this happened. By obtaining exposure dates for the boulders we will be in a better position to understand the dramatic landscape and climate changes that have taken place in the Falklands and its neighbouring countries in the recent past.”
Press Office, Department of Public Affairs Tel: 028 9036 617 Email: [email protected]
Section 3:
CRUISE SHIP VISIT:
The Amsterdam has visited the Falklands from 0800 to 1600. She carries 1200. It was the Amsterdam’s passengers and crew that were marooned here earlier this year due to bad weather.
Section 4:
FIBS NEWS DIRECT: 07 APRIL 2005
ILLEX SEASON:
The Illex fishery is still open at the moment but the Director of Fisheries has said that it is quite likely that it will be closed by mid April. John Barton told us that a close if just in the Falklands will give some benefit but if there is a closure of a much larger area then it would be of greater benefit to stock conservation. He added that the South Atlantic Fisheries Commission agreed if Illex stocks looked poor then generally fisheries are closed on our and the Argentine zone. He added that as the Squid migrate when the fishing is closed in the Falklands zone, they could move into other areas and still be caught. In the meantime, they are still gathering up more information.
KEMH:
There has only been a small staff turn-around at KEMH since the end of February. Marianne Coleman arrives to take up the Radiographer’s Post, replacing Moira Wells. Jeannie (Inaudible sounded like Munulipkipta) arrived in early March as a medical student. Eric Black has taken up the post as operating practitioner and David Gaffer has been employed as an engineer. The only other person to depart the hospital was David Morgan as Medical Officer in Early March.
REPRESENTATIVE:
A visiting representative from Chilean Abattoir, Sirmonivic is currently in the Islands on a week long visit. This is Greg Summerville’s (GS) third trip to the Falklands. He explains the relationship between Sirmonivic and the Falkland Islands Meat Company.
GS: I have been doing marketing and support for two years. We have come to the conclusion that mutton in England aren’t compatible with the return to the Falkland Islands. So we have come up with a schedule for lamb to promote the growth of lamb in the Falkland farming industry. What is does is protect the Falkland Islands Meat Company back in Sirmonivic’s markets in Spain and in Sweden. What it does for us it results in extra tonnage. Thus it gives the Falkland Islands the power of Sirmonivic behind their product instead of only having 50 tonnes of something no one wants to buy because there is no continuity.
TAMAR TOWED BACK TO PORT:
The Tamar FI arrived into FIPASS this morning after being towed in from Port Edgar by the St. Brandon. The vessel, which provides coastal services to many ports around the Islands suffered a mechanical failure of the engine on Tuesday and was towed back for repairs. The broken bit is part of the governor, which controls engine speed. Island Shipping spokesman, N. Middleton says that repairs are expected to take four to five days. Parts from Scandinavia are due in on tomorrow’s flight. The next cargo run, which is scheduled for the southerly ports and islands may be delayed but Island Shipping hopes it will be no more than 24 hours. The Tamar is currently unloading sheep at FIPASS, which were on the vessel while it was being towed but were headed for Stanley anyway. The breakdown means that a couple of stops were missed from the itinerary but Mr. Middleton says that they have been very understanding. Six hundred sheep onboard are bound for the Abattoir.
FALKLANDS CONSERVATION OPEN DAY ON SATURDAY:
Falklands Conservation is holding an open day this Saturday. Liz Elliot (LE) spoke to new Director, Grant Munro (GM) to find out what they have planned.
GM: In the office, we are going to having displays outlining our projects and the staff will be on hand to provide information and answering specific queries. Please, everyone come along, it’s your chance to have a say and find out what we do. Sulivan shipping also are laying on a launch for us and we will be running trips out to Top and Bottom Island in Port William just off of Cape Pembroke. We cleared these islands four years ago of rats. The results have been fairly successful. There are a lot of smaller species of birds coming back in and there are quite a few things to be seen. We will be running trips out there. Whether or not we get to shore will be weather-dependent. If not, we will just run around the bank. We will also see Dolphins in Port William. Hopefully they will play ball and turn up on the day and give a bit of a display as well.
LE: Are these open days something Falklands Conservation has run in the past?
GM: Yes. I believe we had one two years ago. And, it was very successful. We did the boat trips out. Just turn up on the day. There is no previous booking. Boat trips will be running through the day from 1000 to 1500. If you want to go, just come into the office and we will give you a little ticket. The open day is purely to provide information so people are aware of what we are doing. We are not trying to raise any funds on the day.
CB: The open day will be held in the Falklands Conservation Offices between 1000 and 1500.
(100X Transcription Service)
