Oil interests and the law of the sea: The case of the philippines

Abstract

In March 1976, after almost eighty years of unsuccessful oil exploration in the Philippines, a significant quantity of oil was discovered offshore and northwest of the island of Palawan in the South China Sea. Subsequent development of a commercially producing oil field there has stimulated renewed interest and investment in the development of her indigenous oil potential, both offshore and onshore.

National interest in oil has become so great that the Philippines has intensified exploration efforts in highly disputed areas of the South China Sea, based on minimal geological evidence of hydrocarbon potential there, and despite strong protests from the other nations that hold conflicting territorial claims in that region. These efforts have been accompanied by extension of Philippine claims, occupation, and control over marine territory and resources in the disputed area. The Philippine bases for these actions are reviewed and several scenarios are explored as to how the Philippine oil interests may influence the resolution of boundary conflicts thus created.