Expatica news

Aljezur oil drilling suspended by parliament

OilReferendumSMALLParliament today approved the suspension of oil and gas exploration off the Aljezur coast until an environmental and economic impact assessment has been submitted and reviewed.

This draft resolution, presented by the Portuguese Communist Party, at least stops the Galp-ENI consortium from drilling its first test well but leaves the door ajar for continued oil and gas exploration depending on the result of the assessment.

The second of today’s draft resolutions submitted to parliament, this one from the Left Bloc and the PAN party, called for an end to all oil and gas exploration onshore and offshore in Portugal. This was rejected, demonstrating that the Socialist administration remains fully behind Portugal as an oil and gas production zone with marginal benefit to the economy and an unquantifiable risk to the tourism industry.