RE: Oh dear11 Jun 2015 18:02
I think (no, I know) that you will find the folowing:
SOCO will have no further involvement in Block V
As per our release dated 12 March 2015, after providing the DRC government with interpretation of the seismic results, SOCO will have no further involvement in the Block. This is a firm commitment from the Company.
Consequently, all costs incurred on Block V to date and any further costs anticipated in the course of 2015 have been written off as exploration expense in 2014. It is our intention to leave behind all the humanitarian aid that SOCO has provided in medical, water purification and communications facilities for the benefit of the people.
While we acknowledge that the DRC government is anticipating discussions with UNESCO involving the future of the Virunga National Park; we have no involvement in these discussions.
SOCO is no longer conducting operations anywhere in Block V
In accordance with our public commitment, SOCO’s operations inside Virunga National Park ceased on 22 July 2014 and elsewhere in Block V on 11 August 2014.
No exploration drilling has taken place in Block V. No drilling commitment has ever been made and no oil exploitation plans exist for Block V.
Block V is not located within the mountainous Mikeno Sector, home to the famous Mountain Gorillas. SOCO has publicly stated since 2011 that it will never seek to have operations in the Mountain Gorilla habitat, the Virunga Volcanoes or the Virunga equatorial rainforest and this remains the Company’s position.