A South African High Court in the Western Cape has halted an oil and gas exploration project led by TotalEnergies, citing that the environmental assessment for the project was “deeply flawed, failing to address key risks, legal requirements, and public participation,” according to a report by Bloomberg cited by Oilprice.com
The case was brought before the court by a group of environmental organizations opposing oil and gas development in South Africa and elsewhere.
The news comes hours after Bloomberg reported that the French supermajor was planning a major drilling campaign offshore South Africa, featuring up to seven wells, with drilling set to begin in 2026.
TotalEnergies holds exploration rights for blocks in four offshore areas in South Africa: Deep Water Orange Basin (DWOB), Orange Basin Deep (OBD), Outeniqua South, and Block 3B/4B, located east of DWOB.
Although the report did not specify the block where TotalEnergies planned to drill these wells, a draft environmental assessment for the drilling project was available for public comment until September 10th.
The Western Cape High Court allowed TotalEnergies to reapply for environmental approval for the drilling project that had been halted.
“We have some attractive licenses just across the border, and we have actually two or three prospects. We are working in South Africa, and the process to get all the authorizations is quite lengthy, but we hope to begin drilling South African targets in 2026,” TotalEnergies Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanné told analysts during the company’s second-quarter earnings call last month.
The company’s plans for South Africa follow a major oil discovery offshore neighboring Namibia, with estimated reserves of around 3 billion barrels.
Environmental groups have scored several victories against oil companies in court, halting projects and canceling drilling licenses on the grounds that these activities would have an adverse effect on the environment and the planet’s climate.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
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