Exploration & Production

Exploration stirs in South African waters

South Africa is seeing renewed interest in its offshore acreage, but policy issues may cause delays South Africa is seeing renewed interest in its offshore acreage, but policy issues may cause delays.
By Staff reporter 24 October 2018 0 33024
An offshore platform An offshore platform. (Eni)

Exploration is set to resume off the coast of South Africa next year amid renewed interest by companies in the country’s largely untapped waters, although a backlog of unaddressed policy issues could stymie explorers’ efforts.

Several majors are taking preliminary steps to spud wells offshore South Africa over the next two years. Eni will drill up to six wells within the Tugela Fan basin off the KwaZulu Natal coast in 2019, having presented a draft environmental impact assessment to stakeholders on 3 October....