The Canary Islands are not just at risk from oil platforms situated off the coast of Lanzarote & Fuerteventura, exploration is also imminently due to begin off the coast of Morocco.
Scottish oil company, Cairn Energy are due to begin their operation in early October, in the area adjacent to that authorised for oil exploration by the Spanish Government. This project won’t be an eyesore, as it will be situated 555 km northeast of the Canary Islands, the potential risk relates to any major spillage, which could reach our coastline.
Cairn have contracted a deep water drilling unit known as the Cajun Express for the exploration programme in Morocco. The Juby Maritime I-III blocks cover an area of 5,600km2which is located 60km offshore from Morocco. The Foum Draa 1-3 blocks are further offshore at 120km covering an area of 3,300km2. The permit allows drilling from depths of 100 – 1,500m in Juby Maritime and 500 – 2,000m in Foum Draa.
Maritime boundaries have not been set between the Canaries and Africa, there is a territorial limit, which has been established at an equidistant point between the Moroccan coast and the Canary Islands.
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