It is not an exaggeration to say that South Africa’s offshore gas discoveries offer up a potential economic transformation for the country that would be on par with Guyana’s oil-driven boom or Suriname’s emerging energy sector.
The oil giant is challenging, alongside the South African government, a decision by the Western Cape High Court to set aside the environmental impact assessment for Block 5/6/7 — a license previously held by TotalEnergies SE, the company said in response to questions.
“As the successor operator of the license Shell has a direct and substantial interest in the matter, as confirmed by the court,” a company spokesperson said. “South Africa is currently reliant on energy imports for many of its energy needs. Should viable resources be found offshore, this could significantly contribute to South Africa’s energy security and the government’s economic development programs.”
Total’s South African unit expects to drill as many as seven wells in the Deep Western Orange Basin in waters about 211 km (131 mi) off the coastal town of Saldanha Bay, according to SLR Consulting, an independent environmental assessment company. A draft environmental assessment is available for public comment until Sept. 10.
Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter, both South African nationals, were arrested on drug-trafficking charges in February 2023, days after a South African court ordered the seizure of one of Equatorial Guinean Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue’s yachts. The two incidents were linked, Bloomberg reported in April last year.
South Africa has proposed to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States over a 10-year period as the country looks to secure a trade deal with the Trump administration, a ministerial statement by the South African government has revealed. South Africa plans to import 75 to 100 million cubic metres of LNG per year from the U.S., the world’s top LNG exporter. According to Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, the deal would “unlock approximately $900 million to $1.2 billion in trade per annum and $9 billion – $12 billion for 10 years based on applicable price.” According to Ntshavheni, U.S. LNG will not replace South Africa’s current supplies but rather complement them.
South Africa has officially launched the South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC), a new state-owned oil enterprise designed to consolidate and energize the country’s long-stalled hydrocarbons sector. Formed from the merger of PetroSA, iGas, and the Strategic Fuel Fund, SANPC will operate under the Central Energy Fund and is already integrating staff and assets to streamline operations. The aim? Reducing oil imports, bolstering energy security, and tapping into over R95 billion in potential investment.
South Africa’s offshore acreage, particularly in the Orange Basin, has been gaining momentum on the back of transformational discoveries in neighboring Namibia. Within South African waters, the Brulpadda and Luiperd finds in Block 11B/12B remain the most commercially significant to date, estimated to hold more than 600 million barrels of oil equivalent. While TotalEnergies has since exited the block, citing internal portfolio shifts, the company’s re-engagement with the broader South African market suggests continued belief in the basin’s long-term potential.
These prestigious annual awards celebrate individuals and organizations making a lasting impact on Africa’s oil, gas and energy sectors, driving progress toward continent-wide energy security.
The law has been anticipated for years as Shell Plc and other companies delayed activity or withdrew completely from South African acreage, citing regulatory uncertainty.