Download logoA clearer picture of what lies beneath the Mascarene Plateau is now within reach after Cabinet approved a landmark agreement to undertake a new seismic survey of the jointly managed maritime area shared by Seychelles and Mauritius.
The decision was announced on Thursday by Vice-President Sebastien Pillay during a press briefing at State House, following yesterday's Cabinet meeting chaired by President Dr Patrick Herminie.
Cabinet approved Seychelles entering into and signing, jointly with Mauritius, a Multi Client Seismic Survey Agreement with Viridien for the acquisition, processing and interpretation of geological and geophysical data within the Joint Management Area of the Extended Continental Shelf in the Mascarene Plateau Region.
Addressing the media, Vice-President Pillay stressed that the agreement does not authorise oil or gas drilling, but rather the collection of scientific data that will provide a clearer understanding of what lies beneath the seabed.
“The purpose of the survey is to acquire geological and geophysical information that will enable Seychelles and Mauritius to better assess the potential of the Joint Management Area. It is an important step in ensuring that any future decisions are based on sound scientific evidence,” the Vice-President said.
He explained that the initiative forms part of a process that began more than a decade ago, following the establishment of the Joint Management Area after Seychelles and Mauritius successfully secured international recognition of their joint sovereign rights over the extended continental shelf of the Mascarene Plateau.
The Joint Management Area, covering approximately 396,000 square kilometres, remains the only jointly managed extended continental shelf in the world and is administered by the two island states under a unique bilateral treaty.
Vice-President Pillay noted that this is not the first attempt to undertake a seismic survey in the area. A previous procurement process did not materialise, requiring both governments to restart the process before selecting Viridien to undertake the Multi Client Survey.
Under this model, the company will finance the acquisition of the seismic data and recover its investment through the future licensing of the data to interested parties. This approach enables Seychelles and Mauritius to obtain valuable geological information without bearing the full cost of the survey.
The information collected will provide a detailed picture of the geological formations beneath the seabed and help determine whether the area contains hydrocarbon resources or other geological features of economic interest. The survey itself, however, involves no drilling or extraction activities and is limited to scientific data acquisition.
Vice-President Pillay said the agreement represents another important milestone in the responsible management of Seychelles' ocean resources and reinforces the government's commitment to evidence-based policymaking, regional cooperation and the sustainable development of the blue economy.
He added that all activities undertaken under the agreement will be subject to applicable environmental safeguards and international legal standards to ensure the marine environment is protected throughout the survey process.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.
