KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Tullow Jamaica Limited has completed its preliminary seismic survey for evidence of oil in Jamaica, in its Production Sharing Agreement with the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ).

The United Kingdom (UK)-based oil company, which signed the agreement in November 2014, began the initial survey in February 2016 and completed it in early March 2016.

Manager of Oil and Gas at the PCJ, Brian Richardson, in an update on the project on June 1, explained that the seismic survey allows them to take pictures below the seabed offshore Jamaica, using sound waves.

Based on images received, the company will do a further evaluation, Richardson noted.

He said that once the processing of that data is complete, the company will begin doing other interpretations to determine if there is something of interest that would require further seismic surveying.

The manager pointed out that this future activity would include taking a lot more pictures in much smaller areas.

“The process is ongoing, as it could take a number of years from signing a contract to someone saying they believe that there is something they would want to spend money to explore,” he said, adding that the point where they would want to drill a well could possibly be five to 10 years after the contract.

Meanwhile, Group General Manager for the PCJ, Winston Watson, said the process “is a marathon and not a sprint.”

The PCJ is a statutory body mandated by the Government to execute its energy programme for the country. This includes getting involved in renewable energy, facilitating oil and gas exploration to seek new energy sources for Jamaica as well as operating in the refinery business.