The Department of Energy (DOE) wants further clarification on the effects of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling declaring as unconstitutional the tripartite agreement for joint marine seismic undertaking (JMSU) in the agreement area in the South China Sea.
The JMSU was signed on March 14, 2005 by China National Offshore Oil Corp., Vietnam Oil and Gas Corp. and the Philippine National Oil Co.
The DOE said the ruling may affect the country’s oil and gas exploration potential especially when help is offered by “friendly countries.”
“…Does it mean for example that the Philippines cannot enter into an agreement with a friendly country for further exploration in different parts of the country? I don’t want to foreclose that particular interpretation…,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said at the sidelines of the Water Philippines and PhilEnergy event in Pasay City yesterday.
Lotilla said the Philippines in the past “also entered into international agreements with Australia and Norway where they assisted the Philippines in exploring areas.”
Lotilla said as the Philippines is “a vastly underexplored country in terms of gas and oil” exploration, every effort to explore the potential is crucial.
DOE earlier said it sought the Office of the Solicitor General’s guidance on the matter.
