Somalia is a relatively lawless country, torn by feuds betwen rival warlords. It has not had a functioning national government for 14 years. Al Qaeda is also believed to have a strong presence in the country and a vested interest in preserving its lawlessness.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warns against all travel to Somalia. Australians in Somalia have previously been kidnapped for ransom.
Range Resources company secretary Peter Landau admitted there was a high degree of geopolitical risk in Puntland, but told The Age newspaper that there was also "significant upside" in terms of petroleum and minerals.
“Previous work by the company after the acquisition of satellite imagery, colour digital aerial photography in both the visible and infra-red bands has identified key areas of mineralisation and potential petroleum basins,” Range said.
“An experienced survey team was deployed to locate the previous Conoco well locations in the Nogal Valley. These well locations were determined by Conoco to be ready for drilling at the end of their 3000 kilometre seismic campaign in 1989 to 1990.
“The survey team travelled from Bosasso on the Gulf of Aden, 400 kilometres south to the capital of Puntland – Garwooe, located in the Nogal Valley. From the Garwooe base the team was able to work quickly and efficiently and successfully located the previous well targets.”
The team will review potential drilling locations for the purpose of bringing in drilling equipment. Range plans to use Dubai-based Middle East Petroleum Services as operator to undertake a possible four-well drilling campaign once suitable preparatory work has been completed.
After locating the wells and noting any improvements that may be required to the roads and tracks, the survey team is to scout a possible pipeline route from any potential discovery in the Nogal Valley to the coast.
A second separate Geo-Dynamics survey team will be deployed in the near future to plan a non-invasive seismic survey around the four or five well locations in the Nogal Valley, according to Range.
“The Geo-Dynamics survey has been used successfully in determining the hydrocarbon limits of the Margham Field in Dubai, the Asab and Queseweirah Fields in Abu Dhabi, and a number of fields in Kuwait,” the company said.
