ONHYM confirms: Total licence expired
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Total's reconnaissance contract offshore Western Sahara expired 6 December 2012.
Published 07 December 2012


The oil magazine Upstream published 7 December a story about Total's engagement in Western Sahara.

"A source at Morocco's state-owned upstream player Onhym confirmed the contract was set to expire on 6 December, but was unaware of the French company's next step", wrote Upstream.

Find subscription information for the oil and gas news service Upstream here.

WSRW has during the last days received no indication as to whether Total will end, prolong or upgrade its licence in Western Sahara. The controversial agreement was signed quietly 12 months ago, and has remained under the radar until it was discovered last week, shortly before it was set to expire.

Total paid near 4 million to occupier for oil block

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Total officially states it has left Western Sahara

"The contract was not extended in December 2015", company writes on website. It has also confirmed that it has "no plans" to return to the territory, which lies in the part of Western Sahara under Moroccan occupation.

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Norwegian investor excluded Total due to Western Sahara involvement

The Norwegian insurance company Storebrand has blacklisted both phosphate and oil companies involved in occupied Western Sahara. Among them are the French company Total, which are now back in from the cold after they withdrew from the territory.
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Total has left occupied Western Sahara

The French multinational oil company has announced that it is no longer pursuing oil search offshore Western Sahara. "More good news for the Saharawi people. We urge the remaining oil companies to follow suit", stated WSRW.

21 December 2015