Afghanistan
Background:
The
USGS has been assisting the GOA since 2002 in developing a comprehensive
national oil and gas assessment. In 2005 USGS announced the findings of
their assessment and the geology was quite encouraging. USGS estimates
that potential resources are nine times that originally assessed by the
Soviet Union. To follow-up this positive assessment, the USGS approached
MMS approximately three years ago requesting our assistance in building
Government of Afghanistan (GOA) competencies in developing oil and gas
resources in a prudent and transparent manner, while allowing U.S.
companies open access to the future Afghanistan market. This effort has
been supported from the highest levels of the United States Government
(USG). U.S. policy as stated by the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, and the
Afghanistan Reconstruction Group (ARG), is to assist the GOA in
producing their resources to provide for the sustained economic
development of the nation and its people. MMS is in a position to assist
the GOA toward greater institutional and capacity building by adopting a
system that is open and transparent to world markets and allows for
greater oil and gas diversification of supply which is ultimately a key
U.S. foreign energy policy objective.
Past Activities:
|
At USGS’s
request, MMS hosted the Afghanistan Minister of Mining and Industry
(MMI) Dr. Mohammed Sediq, as well as several other senior Afghan
officials in March 2005. The delegation visited both Herndon as well
as attended the lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico Region.
|
|
May 2006 MMS
Scoping and Needs Assessment Visit to Kabul where USGS agreed to
fund 3 to 4 training activities for the MMI.
|
|
First TA
workshop conducted in January 2007 on MMS’ tendering and resource
evaluation system. Incorporated in this effort was an
interactive simulated lease sale based upon MMS system for
tendering. |
Planned Activities:
-
Second TA
workshop on the management of field operation and regulatory
enforcement through inspection has twice been postponed. Current
plans are to conduct the workshop in Tbilisi, Georgia where both the
geology and the scope and interest of the oil and gas industry are
similar to those in Afghanistan. This activity is currently
scheduled for mid-October 2007. Training in Afghanistan has also
become difficult to logistical considerations at the Embassy and the
ongoing security instability.
Future Activities:
-
USGS has agreed
in principal to conduct at least one more workshop with the MMI. It
is hoped that MMS can assist the MMI in tendering a one or more
prospective blocks in the Tajik basin where industry has already
expressed an interest to explore.
-
USGS would also
like the MMS to assist the MMI is in establishing the technical and
administrative competencies required for a modern day oil and gas
regulatory body.
Privacy |
Disclaimers |
Accessibility |
Topic Index | FOIA
Last Updated:
11/19/2008,
05:22 PM