Angkor Resources Corp. (TSXV: ANK) announced that its oil and gas exploration drilling program on Block VIII in Cambodia has advanced to an inter-ministerial review, with a meeting held July 14, 2026, in Phnom Penh. This meeting is a key step in the review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the program, which would be Cambodia's first privately financed onshore oil and gas wells.
Management of the company's wholly owned Cambodian energy subsidiary, EnerCam Resources Co., Ltd., met with representatives from five government ministries—including the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Rural Development—along with three provincial authorities to review the drilling program in detail. More than 26 officials attended the session, where the planned drilling activities were explained with specific preventative and proactive measures to protect the environment and local communities during the exploratory phase.
The EIA, prepared by the Cambodian independent consultant Green Assessment Co., Ltd., covers the four sub-basins hosting drill targets for EnerCam's planned four-well exploration program. Ahead of the meeting, officials from the General Department of Petroleum and the Ministry of Environment visited each planned drill site with local landowners and authorities to ensure transparency and community engagement.
Mike Weeks, President of EnerCam, commented: “This meeting reflects the thorough, transparent process behind the drilling program. The EIA lays out exactly how we will source and manage water and drilling fluid, keep each site safe, and restore the land if a well is not productive—all to international standards, and all done in partnership with the Ministries and the communities where we operate.”
Key topics covered in the 398-page EIA report included how drilling fluid and water are sourced, used, stored, and cleaned using steel tanks and pits with impermeable liners to protect soil and groundwater; safety protocols drawing on internationally recognized well-control standards (IWCF and API); post-drilling procedures involving local communities, with productive wells connected by buried pipeline to a central facility and non-productive wells restored to original or similar conditions; and initiatives to expand ESG practices to ensure community benefits and protect land, water, and air quality.
Further written responses to questions will be compiled by Green Assessment over the coming weeks toward the final submission report for the ministries to complete the review process. Following completion of the report, EnerCam will move to publish its tender for the drilling contractor to complete the planned exploration wells.
Angkor Resources Corp. is a leading resource explorer and developer in Cambodia, working toward mineral and energy solutions across the country. Its mineral subsidiary holds two exploration licenses with multiple prospects in copper and gold. EnerCam was granted an onshore oil and gas license in Block VIII, which was reduced to approximately 4,095 km² after voluntary removal of parks and protected areas and subsequent government remapping. EnerCam completed 2D-seismic in 2025 and has identified multiple drill targets with multiple target zones.
For more information, visit angkorresources.com or view the original release on NewMediaWire.
