The Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15), the newest and most modern frigate of the Philippine Navy, arrived in Palawan islands in the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) to provide a much needed boost in the maritime defense capabilities in the area.
Philippines' lone modern frigate would face a heavy challenged as china announced to start drilling around Palawan islands beginning January 2012.
In the map disclosed for china's new drilling prospected area remains a thrill as it is showing the area of Mischief reef under the Philippines' territory of 130 Miles from the Mainland Palawan but never mentioned the exact location.
Mischief Reef is under the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines according to the UNCLOS 200 Nautical Miles Exclusive Economic Zone.
China has claimed the islands under the Province of Palawan as their territory "We Owned everything" China quoted in previous comments.
In a local radio interview, Captain Alfred Cruz, Commanding Officer of PF-15, said the ship will conduct maritime security and sovereignty patrols to beef up protection of the country's territorial waters, as well as conduct search and rescue missions in the western front.
PF-15, commissioned as a warship of the Philippine Navy, will also augment naval security to the Philippines biggest investments of natural gas at the Malampaya Natural Gas project and other petroleum service contract areas under the Department of Energy (DOE) in the West Philippine Sea.
Cruz said that the ship is now the Navy's largest and fastest which can run with a speed of 40 knots per agility test. He said that it is equipped with helicopters, the first of which was donated by the Department of Tourism (DOT).
With a compliment of more than a hundred officers and enlisted personnel, the high-endurance Hamilton-class cutter can sustain a month-long mission without re-provisioning.
The home of PF-15 is the Ulugan Bay Naval Station in Barangay Macarascas, located about 45 kms northwest of this city.
PF-15 was acquired through the United Excess Defense Act using the Malampaya Natural Gas proceeds under the DOE. It was used by the United States Coast Guard for law enforcement and search and rescue missions. (DOS/VSM/PIA-Palawan)
China will start to drill oil forcefully in the Philippines Waters – January 2012
China will soon put its first deepwater survey vessel into use in the South China Sea, an official with China Oilfield Services Ltd (COSL) said, part of an effort by the world's top energy consumer to tap its underexplored deep waters.
Ocean Oil 708, with a capacity to work in water depths of 3,000 meters and a drilling depth of 600 meters below the seabed, is one of the deepwater equipment that leading offshore oil and gas developer CNOOC planned to expand its deepwater capability.
The vessel is owned by COSL, a specialized oil service unit of China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC).
The COSL official said the vessel will be used in early-stage exploration works such as geoprospecting, but declined to specify which area of the South China Sea the vessel would be firstly employed in.
CNOOC Ltd, which runs almost all of CNOOC's oil and gas production assets, is preparing to drill its first-ever deepsea well in the northern part of the South China Sea around the beginning of 2012 by using Ocean Oil 981, China's first home-made semi-submersible deepsea rig.
China has so far drilled less than 15 deepsea exploration wells, all of which have been done by CNOOC's foreign partners.
Baoji Oilfield Machinery Co, a unit of top Chinese oil firm CNPC, manufactured the drilling system for the Ocean Oil 708, the China Petroleum Daily reported.
Written by Makisig Bayani
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