OLIE- EN GASVERKENNING: DIE WESKUS

TotalEnergies (TEEPSA) is seeking environmental authorisation for oil and gas exploration in the southern Deepwater Orange Basin (DWOB) block, involving the drilling of up to seven wells at depths between 500m and 3,900m. The project faces legal challenges in the Western Cape High Court regarding northern block activities and potential risks to marine life, fishing livelihoods, and indigenous cultural heritage. Public comments on the draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) are open until 10 September 2025.

• TotalEnergies (TEEPSA) plans to drill up to seven exploration wells in the southern Deepwater Orange Basin (DWOB) block. Each well is expected to take between 3 and 4 months to drill, located 211 km offshore at depths ranging from 500 m to 3,900 m, which may represent the deepest offshore drilling in the region.
• The exploration activities pose risks to marine biodiversity, including migratory species such as tuna, sharks, whales, dolphins, leatherback turtles, and African penguins, which may be harmed by noise, pollution, and drilling waste. An oil spill could contaminate fishing grounds and damage coastal environments.
• The project may negatively impact the livelihoods of fishing communities by altering fish behavior and reducing total catches, thereby decreasing income. Additionally, the coastline from Port Nolloth to Cape Town holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for indigenous people and small-scale fishers.
• Legal action is pending regarding the northern part of the DWOB block; fishing communities and environmental organisations intend to challenge the Environmental Authorisation (EA) received by TEEPSA in 2023 in the Western Cape High Court in October 2025.

APA

Natural Justice (2025). OLIE- EN GASVERKENNING: DIE WESKUS. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FINAL_Afrikaans_TEEPSA-DWOB-South_Info-Pamphlet_EISA.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. OLIE- EN GASVERKENNING: DIE WESKUS. 2025. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FINAL_Afrikaans_TEEPSA-DWOB-South_Info-Pamphlet_EISA.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=OLIE- EN GASVERKENNING: DIE WESKUS |date=September 2025 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FINAL_Afrikaans_TEEPSA-DWOB-South_Info-Pamphlet_EISA.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2025olie, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{OLIE- EN GASVERKENNING: DIE WESKUS}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FINAL_Afrikaans_TEEPSA-DWOB-South_Info-Pamphlet_EISA.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }