I have posted on Panama's search for oil in the past year and although much was made of reports of oil literally pouring out of the ground in the Darian, nothing more has been made public. According to this article in La Prensa, the government has hired a company to do some exploration in a number of areas around the country. It certainly would be interesting if Panama were to make a significant discovery in oil deposits to add to their other 'in the ground natural resources', copper and gold.
Machine translated from La Prensa;
Search for oil and gas in Panama
Roberto González Jiménez Roberto González Jiménez
roberto.gonzalez@prensa.com roberto.gonzalez @ prensa.com
The National Secretariat of Energy contracted the OTS Latin America to identify potential areas for hydrocarbon exploitation.
The state will spend $ 90,000 for this study, while the Andean Development Corporation will contribute $ 476 000 through a non-reimbursable fund.
The Minister of Finance Alberto Vallarino said that studies are carried out throughout the country, and mentioned areas in Bocas del Toro, on the border with Costa Rica, south of Chiriqui, in the Gulf of Panama in the Gulf of Urabá , among other locations.
The study will shed which would have greater chances of success in exploration, he added.
The National Economic Council yesterday also approved the purchase of land for $ 1.8 million to build a new hospital that will serve the districts of Chilibre, Las Cumbres and Mayor Diaz.
The hospital will be built with a donation of $ 25 million from the Government of Taiwan.
