Nigeria lost its crown as Africa’s largest crude producer as Angola surpassed the country for the first time in more than five years. Photo: Stock Image / Pixabay
Again? Searcher Seismic reveals plans for offshore oil search in SA
Here we go again… Searcher Seismic revealed its plan to search for oil offshore in South Africa, how did we get back here?
Nigeria lost its crown as Africa’s largest crude producer as Angola surpassed the country for the first time in more than five years. Photo: Stock Image / Pixabay
Months after calling off an earlier search due to a court challenge, Searcher Seismic revealed that it is planning a survey to look for oil offshore in South Africa.
Searcher Seismic aims to look for oil and gas 218kms offshore
Searcher Seismic is applying for authorisation to go through with the activity. It plans to search multiple oil and gas blocks and ultra-deepwater off South Africa’s west coast, says its assessment practitioner.
The survey that they are seeking authorisation for will be as close as 218 kilometres offshore. In March, the company stated that it would leave work incomplete in another area closer to the coast. This followed the High Court’s ruling for it to discontinue the activity.
Locals and organisations have worked together to stop surveys previously
South African communities along with environmental organisations opposed the oil and gas exploration. Many even filed lawsuits in an attempt to stop the seismic surveys. They stated that these surveys are harmful to marine life.
The groups also condemned the process they used to consult those who may be impacted by the surveys. Towards the end of 2021, communities won a case against Shell that temporarily blocked seismic activities in another part of the country’s coast, reports BusinessTech.
‘Huge victory’: High court suspends Shell’s seismic survey plan
Last year, it was reported that the Grahamstown High Court on Tuesday 28 December blocked Shell from using seismic waves to explore for oil and gas in the Indian Ocean, in a victory for environmentalists worried about the impact on whales and other species.
Backing a suit filed by conservationists, the Grahamstown High Court in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) ruled that Shell was “hereby interdicted from undertaking seismic survey operations.”
The fossil fuel giant had announced plans to start exploration over more than 6,000 square kilometres of ocean off South Africa’s Wild Coast region. The Wild Coast is a 300km stretch of natural beauty, dotted with marine and nature reserves. Read the full story here.
