Western Sahara Resource Watch

Coordinates of Island Oil block in occupied Western Sahara

Here are the exact coordinates of the Zag Basin block, explored by San Leon Morocco Ltd, Longreach Oil and Gas Ventures Limited and "Island International Exploration Morocco”.

Published 01 December 2010

Irish plunderers to merge

The two Irish oil companies that are looking for oil in occupied Western Sahara are about to merge. The firms are undermining international law.

Published 19 October 2009

Sahrawi in Western Sahara: "Irish companies: leave our land!"

The news that Irish oil firms Island Oil & Gas, Longreach and San Leon have obtained a full exploration licence for an area near occupied Smara, has triggered a response from the native inhabitants of the territory. And it\'s not a welcoming one.

Published 24 July 2009

Irish oil firms awarded exploration licence in occupied Smara

Both San Leon and Island Oil & Gas have announced that the Zag Reconnaissance Licence has been upgraded to a full Exploration Licence. The Zag basin is located near Smara, occupied Western Sahara.

Published 23 July 2009

Polisario protests Morocco's oil provocations

While under peace talks, Morocco is speeding up its plans for illegal oil search in occupied Western Sahara. The provocation has led Polisario to protest Morocco's actions to the UN Security Council. Read letter dated 6 July 2009 here.

Published 08 July 2009

Escalation to full exploration in Smara

Irish oil firms will explore for oil in the Smara area in complete violation of international law.

Published 22 June 2009

Something doesn’t add up

Up to 524 square kilometres of Island Oil and Gas acreage are missing in Western Sahara/Morocco.

Published 22 June 2009

Drilling plans onshore Western Sahara

Morocco plans to carry out exploration drilling onshore occupied Western Sahara.

Published 01 June 2009

Island Oil negotiating for exploration permit

The Irish oil company Island Oil and Gas is now negotiating an oil exploration permit in occupied Western Sahara. The unethical talks are done against the interest of the people of Western Sahara, and contribute to violate international law as described by the UN in 2002.

Published 03 May 2009

Island Oil fails in geography

The Irish oil company Island Oil and Gas, which illegally explores for oil in occupied Western Sahara, has produced new maps.

Published 20 March 2009

Irish oil company wants to speed up oil hunt

The Irish oil company Island Oil and Gas - and their partners in San Leon - today announced their intention to upgrade their licence in occupied Western Sahara from a frontier licence to an exploration licence.

Published 25 February 2009

War profiteers

Irishmen Bryan Benitz and and Paul Griffiths are leading a company that is planning to profit from an occupation.

Published 02 February 2009

Aggressive onshore plans

Morocco has apparently launched a big onshore exploration programme in Western Sahara.

Published 29 January 2009

Open letter to Island Oil & Gas

24th of December 2008, the oil reconnaissance contract held by the Irish oil company Island Oil & Gas for oil exploration in occupied Western Sahara expired. Today WSRW sent the company a letter demanding them to not renew their engagement.

Published 24 December 2008

Letter from WSRW to Island Oil and Gas, 2006

Sent 13 December 2006, the day after Island Oil & Gas announced its contract with Moroccan authorities on occupied land in Western Sahara.

Published 23 December 2008

South African bank no longer funding WS oil explorer

The South African bank RMB has written to WSRW that they do no longer finance the operations of Island Oil and Gas. The Irish oil company Island has an agreement for oil exploration in occupied Western Sahara in violation of international law.

Published 09 July 2008

Irish MEP demands Island out

Irish MEP, Kathy Sinnott, demands that Island Oil and Gas immediately stops their activities in occupied Western Sahara. "The presence of your company undermines the illegitimacy of the Moroccan occupation", she writes in a letter to the company\'s CEO, Paul Griffiths.

Published 18 May 2008

AEI: RMB in Gun Sights

The Norwegian NGO Western Sahara Resources Watch (WSRW) has written to the chief executive of the Rand Merchant Bank to ask that RMB refuse to bankroll the Irish company Island Oil & Gas which recently acquired a block in Western Sahara from Morocco's Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM). Africa Energy Intelligence, N° 46102/04/2008

Published 05 April 2008

Upstream Online: RMBloan for Sahara is queried

Pressure group Western Sahara Resource Watch has picked another target in its campaign to stop companies participating in oil exploration on Moroccan licences in and off Western Sahara, writes Barry Morgan. Upstream Online, 4 April 2008

Published 05 April 2008

WSRW demands South African bank to prevent oil hunt in Western Sahara

A South African Bank called RMB is the main financial backer of the Irish oil company Island Oil & Gas. Island is exploring for oil in the occupied Western Sahara in violation of international law. Today, Western Sahara Resource Watch sent a letter to RMB asking them to stop the flow of money to the Irishmen. Read the letter here.

Published 27 March 2008