By Sunil Jayasiri

Sri Lanka is hoping to acquire its own oil resources with the expansion of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the eastern part of the country which is now pending approval by the United Nations (UN), a top government official said.

A spokesman for the Fisheries Ministry which took part in formulating the report to the UN said the expanded sea area that Sri Lanka was now claiming contains sedimentation thickness from some 20 kilometres to four kilometres which will have hydrocarbon or oil.

Meanwhile, Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda said the Sri Lanka navy had to protect this natural resource, once the UN gives legal authorization in this regard. “Sri Lanka is likely to get this sea area with the higher sedimentation of thickness sea bed which will have oil,” the Commander said. Admiral Karannagoda said the closest area that has sediment is located some 350 nautical miles off the north east of the country. “Though several other countries compete to claim this area we have better reasons to claim,” he said.

Explaining further, the Navy Chief said the area was located in the north east, east and south east of the country. “In this area the major rivers that are flowing from the Himalayas through India and Bangladesh for many centuries and over a period of time with the water a lot of sedimentation has come down and has deposited on this eastern sea board off Sri Lanka,” he said adding that “as for the new arrangement under the UN Law the Sea, Sri Lanka could make a claim.

He also revealed that once Sri Lanka gets the green light, the Navy had to operate not only current areas up to 200 nautical miles, but also up to 700 NM. “The area comes under the property of Sri Lanka which will mean Sri Lanka Navy is responsible to protect this newly acquired area due to its commercial value  ,” he said.

Sri Lanka is to dig its first Oil Well located in the Western seas off Mannar early next year.