The Junta de Andalucia has given the company Oil & Gas Capital SL three exploration pèrmits to search for hydrocarbons (oil and gas) in three areas of Sevilla and Jaén provinces.
The authorisations are for a period of six years and are linked to work programs that will make a minimum business investment of é7.85 million and cover geological, geochemical and seismic investigations.
In Jaén provinces, two areas have been singled out. The first covers 40,812 hectares and involves the municipalities of Baeza, Bedmar y Garcíez, Begíjar, Jaén, Jimena, Lupión, Mancha Real, Torreblascopedro, Torres, Úbeda and Villatorres. The second is an area of 27.208 hectáreas in Baeza, Bedmar y Garcíez, Cazorla, Jódar, Peal de Becerro, Quesada and Úbeda.
In Sevilla province, the area involved is 27,208 hectares and covers Albaida del Aljarafe, Alcalá del Río, La Algaba, Bollullos de la Mitación, Camas, Castilleja de Guzmán, Espartinas, Gerena, Guillena, Olivares, La Rinconada, Salteras, Sanlúcar la Mayor, Santiponce, Sevilla, Umbrete, Valencina de la Concepción and Villanueva del Ariscal.
Andalucia is empowered to grant such authorisations in their territory under the State Law of Hydrocarbons approved in 1998. Permits are preliminary, so that the tasks associated with new or further development will require additional authorizations, each with its corresponding environmental process and public information requirements. In the case of fruitful research and indications of the feasibility of any further project, the Central Government has to issue approval based on the report submitted by the Regional Administration