Angkor Resources Corp. (TSXV: ANK) announced that its wholly owned Cambodian energy subsidiary, EnerCam Resources Co., Ltd., has advanced its planned oil and gas exploration drilling program on Block VIII to an inter-ministerial review. The meeting, held July 14, 2026, in Phnom Penh, is a critical step in the review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the program.
Management of EnerCam 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—as well as three provincial authorities. The meeting focused on the planned drilling activities and the specific preventative and proactive measures the company will take to protect the environment and local communities during the exploratory drilling phase.
The EIA, prepared by Cambodian independent consultant Green Assessment Co., Ltd., covers four sub-basins that host the drill targets for EnerCam’s planned four-well exploration program. These wells would be Cambodia’s first privately financed onshore oil and gas wells. 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.
Mike Weeks, President of EnerCam, stated: “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 throughout the process, using steel tanks and pits with impermeable liners to protect soil and groundwater. Safety protocols before, during, and after drilling were discussed, drawing on the company’s experienced personnel and internationally recognized well-control standards (IWCF and API). The plan also addresses post-drilling activities: if a well is productive, the small well site is connected by buried pipeline to a central facility; if not productive, the land is fully restored to its original or similar condition. Additionally, the discussion explored initiatives to expand ESG practices to ensure communities benefit from each activity while protecting 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, with mineral subsidiaries holding exploration licenses in copper and gold. Its energy subsidiary, EnerCam, holds an onshore oil and gas license in Block VIII, which currently covers approximately 4,095 km² after voluntary removal of parks and protected areas and government remapping. EnerCam completed 2D-seismic in 2025 and has identified multiple drill targets. The company plans to select a drilling contractor to complete Cambodia’s first privately financed onshore exploratory oil and gas wells under a Production Sharing Contract.
