Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister, Gwede Mantashe, says the discovery of gas and condensate from two exploration wells in the South Outeniqua Basin are proof that South Africa’s underexplored deep waters have significant potential for oil and gas.
COURTESY: X - @DMRE_ZAMantashe was speaking during the 30th edition of Africa Oil Week held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The conference which runs until Thursday, brings together industry leaders to share energy opportunities across the African continent, focusing on responsible exploration and production of petroleum resources.
“In the past two years, TotalEnergies, Shell and Galp have
made eight discoveries across three blocks in Namibia’s Orange Basin,
representing an estimated 3.5 billion barrels of potentially recoverable
oil. These discoveries have led to a
huge interest by major petroleum companies since it is believed that the
Namibian discoveries may be extending southwards into South Africa.’’
“The discoveries of gas and condensate from two exploration
wells drilled in Block 11B/12B offshore in the South Outeniqua Basin have also
proven that South Africa’s under-explored deep waters have significant
potential for oil and gas, and thereby signalling a need to accelerate exploration
efforts,” Mantashe said.
[π¨πππππ πΆππ πΎπππ 2024 | #π¨πΆπΎ2024]
— Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (@DMRE_ZA) October 8, 2024
Minister @GwedeMantashe1 believes that a breakthrough in South Africa’s petroleum sector could transform the country into a high-growth economy πΏπ¦. pic.twitter.com/R8icsiImon
Commenting on the withdrawal of international energy giant,
TotalEnergies, Mantashe insisted that development on the block still remains
viable.
“[There] remains a good potential for other oil and gas
players to partner with the remaining operator – MainStreet - and develop the
block. Contrary to the view that suggests that TotalEnergies withdrawal from
the block is tantamount to lack of confidence, it is encouraging that the company
is a major shareholder in 3 blocks North of South Africa’s Orange Basin in the
deep to ultra-deep waters, and a 100% shareholder of another larger block that
is 3 times the size of the 11b/12b in Southern Outeniqua,” he said.
According to the Minister, several exploration projects in
the South African Orange Basin are “gearing up for development”. These include:
·
Preparation work for drilling exploration of
the Deep-Water Orange Basis (DWOB) block operated by TotalEnergies.
·
Proposed drilling of an exploration well, with
the option to drill up to four additional wells in Block 3B/4B.
·
The Northern Cape Ultra-Deep-Water Block has
started with environmental authorisation processes for drilling.
·
The notable progress made on Block 5/6/7 with a
potential to start drilling exploration in the block in 2026 targeting large
oil and gas resources.
Mantashe said the risk for these projects is litigation against exploration and production.
“This has already affected two major seismic surveys to
date, including Shell, which abandoned their survey and went on to discover oil
and gas in Namibia, as well as ENI, which after being taken to court 47 times,
left and went to discover oil in huge quantities in CΓ΄te d'Ivoire.
“The successful 3D seismic data acquisition in April this
year by Searcher on South Africa’s west coast has proven that exploration of
petroleum resources can be done successfully without any harm to the
environment,” he added.
But not everyone agrees with this take on the conference. A
group of protesters organised by Green Connection and Extinction Rebellion held
a horror-themed protest against the oil industry on Tuesday - timed just before
the keynote address by Minister Mantashe. The demonstrators, through symbolic
visuals, said oil and gas executives are coming to Africa to ‘’drain its
resources, just as they have exhausted those in their own countries.’’
COURTESY: X - @CtxRebellionBush Radio News spoke to Advocacy Officer Lisa Makaula at
the anti-oil industry protest and she is in the view that Government needs to
shift its focus towards renewable energy investments.
‘’We are calling on Government to prioritise in investing
renewable energy projects. We are already experiencing climate change and we
have seen south Africa how communities have barring the brunt in climate change
and we hope our leaders will prioritise in investments in sustainable projects
and ensure that communities are not left behind and benefit in those projects.’’
Don't Be Fooled by Oil Industry 'Bloodsuckers' at Africa Oil Week - Protesters #AfricaOilWeek #AOW2024 #AOW24 #BushRadio @CtxRebellion @ExtinctionR @TheGreenConnect @allafrica pic.twitter.com/2bycaTR2Ot
— Bush Radio 89.5 FM (@Bushradio) October 8, 2024
Done by: Mitchum George
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