For your information Maxmac, I believe what actually transpired...

For your information Maxmac, I believe what actually transpired was the following: he bought the permits of ENI-Agip days before they were hitting target depth of one of their wells in another permit, I think it was Chinguetti. When they announced to the market the subsequent Chinguetti discovery, all the majors including British Gas were scrambling to get a hold of offshore Mauritania, so Ellyard pretty much sold it on to the highest bidder.

ENI-Agip must have been kicking themselves. I bet you some indviduals there lost their jobs - seriously.

Shrew business like I've never seen.