Shell’s proposed Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas exploration RECEIVES ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMR) granted environmental authorisation on 30 June 2025 for Shell Offshore Upstream South Africa B.V. and its 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 300km offshore of Port Nolloth and extending towards Strandfontein in waters 2,500m to 3,200m deep. Shell plans to drill two exploration wells in the first year and three in the second, starting in 2026 or 2027. The document outlines the legal process for appealing this decision to the Department of Forestry Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) by 29 July 2025, noting that a filed appeal automatically suspends the authorisation under Section 47(7) of NEMA. It also highlights potential environmental and social risks identified in the draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), including underwater noise affecting fish behavior, threats to critically endangered species like blue whales and leatherback turtles, and the risk of oil spills causing toxicity, suffocation of marine fauna, and the smothering of coastal habitats. Additionally, the guide notes potential negative impacts on small-scale fishing livelihoods, tourism, and the spiritual and cultural heritage of indigenous groups such as the First Peoples and Nguni.

• The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMR) approved the Environmental Authorisation (EA) for the NCUD project on 30 June 2025, allowing Shell Offshore Upstream South Africa B.V. and partners to begin drilling activities in 2026 or 2027.
• The NCUD exploration area covers approximately 5,254km, situated 300km offshore from Port Nolloth and extending toward Strandfontein, with water depths ranging from 2,500m to 3,200m.
• Under Section 47(7) of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), any appeal submitted to the Department of Forestry Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) automatically suspends the environmental authorisation, preventing Shell from proceeding with exploration until a final decision is reached.
• The draft ESIA identifies risks to marine life, including underwater noise that may cause physical injury to hearing or behavioral changes in fish, and direct effects on species listed as 'Critically Endangered', 'Endangered', 'Vulnerable', or 'Near Threatened', such as blue whales, leatherback turtles, and sperm whales.
• Potential impacts include the disruption of small-scale fishing (SSF) livelihoods and tourism, as well as cultural and spiritual violations for indigenous groups (First Peoples and Nguni) who view the sea as a living organism and a site for ancestral spirits.

APA

Natural Justice (2020). Shell’s proposed Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas exploration RECEIVES ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ENG_Shell-NCUD-Pamphlet-_EA-July-2025_FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Shell’s proposed Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas exploration RECEIVES ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION. 2020. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ENG_Shell-NCUD-Pamphlet-_EA-July-2025_FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=Shell’s proposed Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas exploration RECEIVES ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION |date=January 2020 |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{naturaljustice2020shells, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Shell’s proposed Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas exploration RECEIVES ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2020}, month = jan, 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} }