United Oil & Gas and Jamaica's Oil Drilling: The October 16, 2025 Context, Prospects, and Environmental Concerns

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor

February 14, 2026

United Oil & Gas and Jamaica's Oil Drilling: The October 16, 2025 Context, Prospects, and Environmental Concerns

On October 16, 2025, no specific public meeting hosted by United Oil & Gas (UOG) focused solely on Jamaica's oil drilling was identified. However, the date fell within a critical period of activity for the company's Jamaican operations, coinciding with industry events like the 2nd IEL Energy Project Development Conference in Houston, USA, and just days after UOG announced a vessel agreement for key surveys offshore Jamaica. These developments underscore the growing momentum around Jamaica's oil exploration ambitions, as well as mounting debates over its potential benefits and risks.

The Jamaica Project: Key Background

UOG holds a 100% interest in the 22,400 km² Walton-Morant offshore licence south of Jamaica, with unrisked mean/mid-case prospective resources estimated at 7 billion barrels of oil. In June 2025, the Jamaican government granted an offshore drilling permit for operations near the southeast coast, though the decision faced criticism for lacking public consultation and transparency. By October 2025, UOG had secured a vessel for a piston coring and geochemical survey, aimed at confirming hydrocarbon presence and de-risking the basin ahead of potential drilling.

Prospects for Jamaica

- Economic Potential: If successful, the project could transform Jamaica's economy, offering revenue from production sharing agreements, job creation in energy and related sectors, and reduced reliance on imported oil. UOG notes development costs as low as $8 per barrel and a break-even price of $25 per barrel, with comparisons drawn to Guyana's successful offshore oil industry.

- Energy Security: Jamaica currently imports nearly all its energy, so domestic oil production could stabilize energy prices and enhance national energy resilience.

- Uncertainties: No commercial discovery has been confirmed to date, and UOG remains dependent on securing industry partners to fund drilling operations. The project also faces scrutiny amid global calls to phase out fossil fuels following COP 30.

Environmental Risks and Effects

- Geological Hazards: Jamaica lies on active fault lines, raising concerns that drilling near Morant Point could trigger man-made earthquakes, underwater landslides, or tsunamis, with potential impacts on infrastructure and public safety.

- Marine Ecosystem Damage: Oil spills could contaminate fishing waters, harm coral reefs, mangroves, and marine life, threatening biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal communities dependent on fishing and tourism. Similar impacts have been documented in neighboring Guyana, where oil operations have been linked to reduced fish catches and water quality degradation.

- Climate Implications: Expanding fossil fuel production contradicts global climate goals, as oil and gas extraction and combustion contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change—an issue of particular concern given Jamaica's vulnerability to hurricanes and sea-level rise.

- Transparency and Accountability: Critics, including the Jamaica Environment Trust, highlight gaps in public access to environmental data and grievance mechanisms, raising questions about how potential harms will be addressed and mitigated.