Mediterranean Oil and Gas has launched an appeal against a decision by the Italian government that it must get an integrated environmental authorisation before getting approval for its Ombrina Mare project.
The company had previously been hit by Italy’s ban on offshore drilling, and was waiting on permits to begin development work for the project, south of Sicily.
Last month the Italian Ministry of Environment and Protection of Land and Sea told Mediterranean it must apply for an obtained the environmental authorisation as a precondition for approving the environmental impact assessment for the project.
Mediterranean claims it had been told the authorisation would not be required prior to first production from the project, which is expected to produce more than 13,000 barrels of oil per day.
Now it has launched an appeal aimed at annulling and, in the interim, suspending the requirement for an integrated environmental authorisation and seeking a judicial order to force the ministry to approve the environmental impact assessment.
“The company is in continuing dialogue with the Italian Government and other key stakeholders to seek resolution on a way forward for the project outside of the Courts,” it said in a statement.
“In the board’s view, such discussions are not hindered by the appeal.”
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