TEEPSA Deep Western Orange Basin South WHAT ACTION CAN I TAKE? COMMENT ON THE SCOPING REPORT

The document outlines TEEPSA's proposal to drill up to seven exploration and appraisal wells in a 15,000 km2 area of the Deep Water Orange Basin South, located approximately 211km from Saldanha. It details the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, the technical phases of drilling, and potential risks to marine life, fishing livelihoods, and the cultural heritage of coastal communities. The public is invited to submit comments on the draft Scoping Report by 19 February 2025.

• TEEPSA proposes to drill up to 7 exploration and/or appraisal wells in the southern part of the DWOB block, with each well's activities estimated to take 3 to 4 months.
• The drilling operation involves three phases: a Mobilisation Phase to establish logistics and transport equipment, an Operation Phase involving drilling and the discharge of cuttings, drilling fluid, and residual cement onto the seabed, and a Demobilisation Phase to plug and abandon wells.
• The project will utilize a Deepwater Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), such as a drillship or semi-submersible unit, supported by up to three vessels and helicopter transfers from Cape Town.
• Potential environmental impacts include changes in seawater quality and increased noise, which may cause fish and migratory whales—such as sperm and humpback whales—to move away or be injured.
• The project may negatively impact fishing livelihoods; between 2017 and 2019, an average of 149 fishing lines in the DWOB area yielded 191 tonnes of large pelagic species like tuna and swordfish.
• The project may affect the intangible cultural heritage of First Peoples and Small Scale Fishers (SSF) along the West Coast from Port Nolloth to Cape Town, who maintain spiritual connections to the ocean.

APA

Natural Justice (2025). TEEPSA Deep Western Orange Basin South WHAT ACTION CAN I TAKE? COMMENT ON THE SCOPING REPORT. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/English_TEEPSA-DWOB-south-Scoping-Report-Final.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. TEEPSA Deep Western Orange Basin South WHAT ACTION CAN I TAKE? COMMENT ON THE SCOPING REPORT. 2025. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/English_TEEPSA-DWOB-south-Scoping-Report-Final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=TEEPSA Deep Western Orange Basin South WHAT ACTION CAN I TAKE? COMMENT ON THE SCOPING REPORT |date=February 2025 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/English_TEEPSA-DWOB-south-Scoping-Report-Final.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2025teepsa, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{TEEPSA Deep Western Orange Basin South WHAT ACTION CAN I TAKE? COMMENT ON THE SCOPING REPORT}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/English_TEEPSA-DWOB-south-Scoping-Report-Final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }