ENG_Shell (NCUD) Pamphlet _EA (July 2025)(V2)

This guide by Natural Justice provides information on the Environmental Authorisation (EA) granted to Shell Offshore Upstream South Africa B.V. and its partners for the Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas exploration project off the South African West Coast. It outlines the project's scope, the legal process for appealing the decision, and potential environmental and socio-cultural impacts identified in the draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).

• The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMR) granted Environmental Authorisation (EA) on 30 June 2025 for Shell Offshore Upstream South Africa B.V. and its Joint Venture partners to conduct oil and gas exploration in the Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) Block. The project area is approximately 5,254km in size, located between 300km offshore of Port Nolloth and Strandfontein, with water depths ranging from 2,500m to 3,200m. Drilling activities are planned to begin in 2026 or 2027, with the ESIA assuming two exploration wells in the first year and three in the second.
• Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) who are registered have the right to appeal the DMR's decision to the Department of Forestry Fisheries and Environment (DFFE). The deadline for appeals is 29 July 2025, which is 20 days from the announcement date of 9 July 2025. Under Section 47(7) of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), a submitted appeal automatically suspends the EA, meaning Shell cannot proceed with exploration activities until a final decision is made by the appeal authority.
• The draft ESIA identifies several potential environmental risks, including underwater noise that could cause physical injury to fish organs or behavioral changes such as displacement from breeding or feeding areas. The project may affect migratory pelagic species, including those listed as 'Critically Endangered' (blue whales and Leatherback turtles), 'Endangered' (fin whales and Black-Browed and Atlantic Yellow-Nosed Albatross), 'Vulnerable' (sperm whale, Great White shark, Shortfin Mako, and Loggerhead turtles), or 'Near Threatened' (Yellowfin tuna, Longfin Tuna/Albacore, and Blue shark). Additionally, an oil spill could cause toxicity, suffocation, and the smothering of coastal habitats.
• The project poses risks to livelihoods and cultural heritage, particularly for Small-Scale Fishing (SSF) communities and tourism-related businesses. Potential impacts include the displacement of fishing vessels, increased fuel costs, and reduced catch of key West Coast species like hake and snoek. For indigenous groups (Nguni and First Peoples), the project may impact 'living' waters used for spiritual and health management, potentially disturbing the seabed where ancestral spirits are believed to reside.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). ENG_Shell (NCUD) Pamphlet _EA (July 2025)(V2). https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ENG_Shell-NCUD-Pamphlet-_EA-July-2025_FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. ENG_Shell (NCUD) Pamphlet _EA (July 2025)(V2). n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ENG_Shell-NCUD-Pamphlet-_EA-July-2025_FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=ENG_Shell (NCUD) Pamphlet _EA (July 2025)(V2) |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ENG_Shell-NCUD-Pamphlet-_EA-July-2025_FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticendengshell, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{ENG\_Shell (NCUD) Pamphlet \_EA (July 2025)(V2)}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ENG_Shell-NCUD-Pamphlet-_EA-July-2025_FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }