TotalEnergies to Drill Seven Wells in South Africa’s Orange Basin as Oil Frontier Expands
TotalEnergies SE is preparing to launch a new offshore drilling campaign in South Africa’s Deep Western Orange Basin, a region that extends into waters where Namibia has recently made major oil discoveries.
According to SLR Consulting, which is conducting an independent environmental assessment, TotalEnergies’ South African subsidiary intends to drill up to seven wells located about 211 kilometers (131 miles) off the coast of Saldanha Bay. A draft assessment has been released for public comment until September 10, Bloomberg reported.
TotalEnergies Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanné confirmed during an earnings call last month that drilling of the company’s South African prospects is expected to begin next year.
Shell is pursuing similar plans in South Africa. The company aims to drill up to five wells within the Northern Cape Ultra Deep license block, according to a notice by SLR Consulting released last year.
Both companies face legal and regulatory uncertainty. In recent years, environmental groups have successfully challenged several offshore exploration projects in South African courts, delaying energy development.
The push for new drilling comes amid heightened interest in the broader Orange Basin, following significant discoveries by TotalEnergies and Shell in Namibia in 2022.
Those finds have positioned the region as one of Africa’s most promising oil frontiers.
Although South Africa has yet to produce oil, exploration estimates suggest the country could hold up to 2.6 billion barrels of reserves.
Industry projections indicate that commercial production could begin by 2030, with exploration hotspots including the Orange, Lüderitz, Kavango, and Walvis basins.
