Unjustified blockade paralyzes environmental study of the Domo Oso – X3 hydrocarbon project in Tarija

This Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy release was published using machine translation.

A group of people interested in distorting the truth are blocking the process of gathering information necessary for the environmental impact study of the Domo Oso–X3 project, located in the O'Connor province of the department of Tarija, outside the Tariquia reserve, denounced the Vice Minister of Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation, Raúl Mayta.

The authority highlighted the importance of this study and pointed out that the official information states that it is “an environmental impact assessment study that is carried out to obtain an environmental license, and if this information is not allowed to be generated (…) we have been paralyzed. "They have blocked us, they are hindering this collection of information on the ground," he said.

He explained that there is a latent concern about the decrease in hydrocarbon production, gas reserves and exploratory activities in the department, but at the same time there is a voice that speaks and speculates, “a radical position that is not allowing the execution of projects in the region,” questioned Mayta.

The Domo Oso-X3 project does not affect the aquifers, as established by Yacimientos Petrolófilos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB). The oil industry uses strict regulations and high technology to protect water resources; casing and cement pipes are used to isolate aquifer formations, verifying correct insulation with electrical logs.

The state oil company indicated that the Domo Oso-X3 well is very important because it projects more than 2 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas, which translates into replacement of reserves and greater income for the area and the country. The project, in which YPFB and Petrobras are partners, is located 1.2 km outside the Tariquía reserve.

The project complies with environmental regulations and obtains the necessary permits to ensure environmental protection during drilling. In this sense, Mayta urged the blockers to abandon their measures and reflect on the importance of the project for that region and the country.