Government has recently given Vangold Resources Ltd, the Canadian Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation exploring for oil in the Western Province, a nod to proceed with an airborne survey. Early last month, Vangold announced that an airborne survey was in the pipeline, and Joseph Katarebe, Vangold’s Country Manager confirmed this but underscored that the survey would only start after government approval – a fact then acknowledged by the Ministry of Infrastructure. “No problems are expected since the project is known and has been approved by cabinet… they just have to fulfill some requirements,” Charles Nyirahuku, Head of the Gas and Oil Unit in the Ministry of Infrastructure told The New Times last month. Consequently, a Vangold team arrived in the country on July 27 to iron out some issues, and all is clear now, following the reception of a regulatory approval and the acquisition of essential permits. “They (Vangold) have already got the permits and clearance to carry out the airborne survey…Government has been looking into giving them permission to fly in our airspace,” Nyirahuku confirmed by phone yesterday. He said nothing much had changed from last month since they have been mainly dealing with logistical issues. “We are now waiting for them to come and conduct the airborne survey…this shouldn’t exceed two to three weeks from now,” he pointed out. Several fresh attempts to get an update on progress from the Vangold Country Manager have been unsuccessful. In the recent past, Vangold signed a service agreement with New Resolution Geophysics, a South African company, for an airborne gravity and aeromagnetic survey. Vangold’s July 8 press release indicates that the survey is scheduled to end by October at an estimated cost of US $275,000. This will be part of the second phase of exploration since the company announced the completion of the first phase April 18. The survey will cover 1,631 sq km oil and gas concession covering the sedimentary basin of the Kivu Graben in Western Province. The Kivu Graben is located south of the Albertine Graben in Uganda on Lake Albert, where Tullow and Heritage Oil, two UK explorers, have made oil and gas discoveries estimated at over 500,000 barrels. Ends
