The Zambian government is carrying out amendments to the 1995 Petroleum Act to boost oil exploration after recent oil discoveries, a government official told Dow Jones Newswires Monday.

The Petroleum Exploration Committee together with government experts from the ministries of trade and industry, mines and minerals development as well as finance are revising the Petroleum, Act in line with international standards.

“The current Petroleum Act is being revised after which oil exploration works will commence” said an official with the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. The amendments to the act are expected to be completed by the end of September this year after which they will be presented to the cabinet.

Last year, Zambia announced that it had discovered oil in its northwestern province. President Levy Mwanawasa then appointed a panel of ministers to oversee the exploration of the oil. The panel has since concluded dividing the oil exploration areas in up to 16 blocks and is now seeking companies to carry out exploration and establish the nature of the reserves.

-By Nicholas Bariyo, Dow Jones Newswires; +256 75 262 4615; bariyonic@ yahoo.co.uk

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