Brazilian and Venezuelan technicians will be exploring the southern region of the DR to determine the existence of oil, according to the government. A French Press Agency cable reports that Minister of Industry and Commerce Francisco Javier Castillo has stated that the oil reserves are probably offshore and not on the coast with tourist potential. Javier Castillo stated that many experts in the country believe that there are oil reserves in the Bay of Ocoa on the south coast, to the west of Santo Domingo. He said that there had been no previous exploration in the area because of the very high cost of offshore operations. The dates and the conditions in which the South American technicians will perform the exploration were not disclosed. About 70 wells have been drilled since the 19th century, yet not one has yielded positive results. Currently, several foreign companies have concessions from the Dominican state for this sort of exploration.