EXTENDED CONTINENTAL SHELF DELIMITATION

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EXTENDED CONTINENTAL SHELF DELIMITATION
The Seychelles Experience (cont.)

• The Seychelles Experience
• By
• Patrick R Joseph
• Ag. Managing Director, Seychelles National Oil
  Company
• Chairman, Extended Continental Shelf
  Sub-committee
• March 31st April 2nd 2003, GRID Arendal, Norway

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Structure of the presentation

• Introduction
• Composition of the Extended Continental Shelf
  Sub-Comm.
• The area of interest
• Current Status
• Data Coverage
• Data Management
• Difficulties Limitations

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General Location Map
East Africa
Seychelles Plateau
Mascarene Ridge
Saya de Malha
Madagascar
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Article 76 is short but complex

• We fully understand that delineation of the
  extended continental shelf
• is a complex scientific and legal exercise that
  requires expertise in
• the fields of geoscience, law and IT.
• No single government body could handle this task
• Decided to set up the Extended Continental Shelf
  Sub-committee
• We also seek the experience of international
  consultants when
• necessary

Team work
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The Extended Continental Shelf Sub-committee
The sub-committee brings together local experts
in the different fields.

• Seychelles National Oil Company geophysicist,
  geologist
• Seychelles Coast Guard - hydrographer
• Geo-informatics div, MLUH - GIS experts
• Seychelles Bureau of standards - sci-tech studies
  coord. (bibliographic information repository)
• Seychelles Fishing Authority -living resources

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Area of Interest
55E
65E
4S
10S
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Current Status
Working towards the completion of a desktop study

• Available data compilation
• Interpretation model generation
• Resources evaluation

Desktop Study
Aim
To generate adequate accurate information to
enable govt. to decide on whether to proceed with
a claim.
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Data Availability
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Gridded Sedimentary Thickness
Source GEODAS contoured using Arc scene
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Free air satellite gravity data
(Sandwell Smith)
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Data Management

• Currently setting up a computerised
  meta-database
• - all participating bodies have submitted table
  structures
• - brainstorming to come up with a data model
• The Tech Comm. is helping to finalise a national
  data policy
• Quality Assurance procedures to be implemented
  by all parties
• The MBDP database will serve as a pilot study
  for creation of
• Seychelles Geoscience Data Centre (SGDC)
• Data will be stored at respective organisation
  until SGDC ready

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Data Management (computerisation)
PC Network
LAN / WAN
Linux
Database Engine
Windows
Main Server
- ARCGIS 8 is currently the graphical front end.
CARIS LOTS will subsequently be used
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Difficulties Limitations

• Limited financial resources (competing with other
  National priorities)
• Limited human resources (experts not 100
  committed to
• project)
• Seychelles is remotely located (access to
  workshops
• conferences)
• Data hunting can be tedious

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Thank You Takk