Anadarko with no role in Western Sahara block
Article image

The US oil company Anadarko (ex-Kerr-McGee) said they have no role in the development of the Kosmos Energy's block offshore Western Sahara.

Published 08 April 2012

The US oil company Kosmos Energy is operator of the controversial Boujdour block offshore occupied Western Sahara. The oil exploration in the territory is in violation to international law, according to the UN

In a report from April 2008, Kosmos Energy stated that it has a “joint development team with Anadarko” - without specifying which blocks or projects the development team is cooperating on. 

Interestingly, Anadarko Petroleum Corp is the same company that acquired the Boujdour block's former operator, Kerr-McGee, in 2006. 

In 2011, and again in 2012, the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara asked whether Anadarko cooperates with Kosmos on the development of Kerr-McGees's former block.

Any such cooperation has now been denied by Anadarko.

"We have no interest in that block", replied an Anadarko spokesman to Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara this February.

Anadarko is operating in a number of countries internationally, including in Morocco's neigbougring country Algeria. It has also exploration programme in the southeastern part of Morocco proper. 
 

New report: Greenwashing Occupation

Out now: WSRW today publishes a new report outlining the massive - and deeply problematic - renewable energy projects that Morocco is developing in occupied Western Sahara. 

11 December 2025

GMP+ does not check if “sustainable” fish is legally caught

The world’s largest certification scheme for “safe and sustainable animal feed” does not check whether its certified fish feed companies source from illegal fisheries in occupied Western Sahara, where catches violate the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination.

05 December 2025

ASC withdraws from occupied Western Sahara

Certification scheme ends involvement with Azura Group and declares that no future certifications will be granted to companies in the occupied territory.

04 December 2025

Morocco plans another giant power line from occupied Western Sahara

Don’t be fooled by the clean-energy rhetoric on this new 1,000 km power line – this is about infrastructural annexation of occupied land.

04 December 2025