South Africa’s Ministry of Environment has granted approval for TotalEnergies to commence offshore drilling for gas and oil, following the rejection of an appeal from over a dozen individuals and advocacy groups who had plans to contest the decision.
The appeal to prevent TotalEnergies from drilling in Block 5/6/7, situated off the Cape coast, represented the most recent effort in a series of actions aimed at impeding energy companies from conducting exploration for new offshore resources in the southernmost region of Africa.
It also aimed to convince Environment Minister Barbara Creecy to revoke the environmental authorization given to the French energy firm by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in April. It raised various concerns, including marine noise, oil spills, climate change, and inadequate public consultation.
However, in her capacity as the appellate authority, Creecy has dismissed their concerns in a comprehensive 144-page ruling, as reported by media.
“I am therefore satisfied that the impacts of noise and light have been adequately assessed and mitigated to ensure low impacts on the receiving environment. As such this ground of appeal is dismissed,” Creecy said in the ruling dated Sept. 24.
One of the appellants, the Climate Justice Charter Movement, expressed that Creecy’s decision was “disappointing but unsurprising.”
“The decision by the minister will be challenged, it is irrational and ignores climate science,” it said in a statement on Monday.
TotalEnergies, which made significant gas discoveries off the coast of South Africa in 2019 and 2020, has not provided an immediate response to requests for comment. The company’s area of interest within the block encompasses approximately 10,000 square kilometers and is situated between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas, with its closest point being roughly 60 km from the coast and its furthest point at 170 km. Water depths in this area range from 700 meters to 3,200 meters.
TotalEnergies, serving as the operator with a 40% stake, along with partners Shell, also with 40%, and the national oil company PetroSA, holding the remaining 20%, have put forth plans to drill as many as five exploration wells in the block.
An insider from the upstream petroleum regulatory body indicated that preparations are in an advanced stage for the inaugural well to be drilled in early the next year.
