San Leon Updates on Moroccan Oil Shale Study

San Leon Energy in an update of its initial study of the Tarfaya Oil Shale, Morocco has said that yield results from the data samples from the R1 and R3 reservoir zones suggest that an oil yield of 72 litres of oil per ton of extracted material is achievable.

Preliminary modeling of the project confirmed that a commercial operation is possible.

On 29 August 2012 San Leon commissioned Enefit Outotec Technology (EOT) to conduct an initial study of the Tarfaya Oil Shale, Morocco, with a view to pursuing a possible surface retorting project utilizing the Enefit 280 process.

EOT conducted the study on the basis of borehole data from Shell's operations in the 1980's. In addition, EOT picked 34 samples, at 0.5 m intervals, from the oil shale layers outcropping in the Trial Pit that was first excavated by Shell. “The resulting data was injected into an adapted model and a good correlation of the field samples taken by San Leon and the extensive borehole data collected by Shell was established,” the company said.

Further work is now focused on the optimal configuration of a plant based around the Enefit 280 process and the potential product mix in the context of Moroccan market conditions, with a view to the Company seeking partners into a 5,000 - 10,000 bopd production capacity plant.