Angkor Resources Corp. (TSXV: ANK) announced that its planned 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. The meeting represents 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 EnerCam Resources Co., Ltd., the company's wholly owned Cambodian energy subsidiary, met with representatives from five government ministries and three provinces to review the drilling program in detail. The meeting included officials from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Rural Development, along with representatives from the provinces of Kampong Speu, Koh Kong, and Pursat.
Green Assessment Co., Ltd., the Cambodian independent EIA consultant, presented its findings alongside EnerCam. The EIA covers four sub-basins that host drill targets for the 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.
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."
The 398-page EIA report addressed key topics including sourcing, use, storage, and cleaning of drilling fluid and water using steel tanks and pits with impermeable liners to protect soil and groundwater; safety measures based on internationally recognized well-control standards (IWCF and API); post-drilling procedures involving local communities and either connecting productive wells via buried pipeline to a central facility or fully restoring non-productive sites; and initiatives to expand ESG practices to benefit communities 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 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. The company's mineral subsidiary, Angkor Gold Corp. Co., Ltd., holds two mineral exploration licenses with multiple prospects in copper and gold. EnerCam was granted an onshore oil and gas license for Block VIII, originally 7,300 km² but reduced to 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 with multiple target zones.
