“We view Morocco as a long term project for the Company with significant upside over a huge unexplored area", stated chairman of San Leon, OIsin Fanning in a press release today (or download).

The release fails to mention that the search takes place not in Morocco, but in the territory it illegally and brutally occupied in 1975. The firm holds two licences both located partially in Western Sahara, a territory under UN process of decolonisation.

According to the release, the survey included more than 2,280 km of 2D seismic across its Tarfaya and Zag Licenses onshore Morocco. The data was acquired by San Leon Energy’s wholly owned subsidiary, NovaSeis.

"The completion of our seismic program is the next step in bringing our projects closer to drilling", stated the San Leon chair.

In 2002, the UN stated that any further oil search in Western Sahara would be in violation of international law.

The Saharawis have repeatedly protested against the Irish-Moroccan oil search in the occupied territory.