OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION: THE WEST COAST

A guide produced by Natural Justice in September 2025 regarding proposed offshore oil and gas exploration drilling by Total Energies (TEEPSA) in the southern part of the Deep Water Orange Basin (DWOB) block.

• Total Energies (TEEPSA) is seeking Environmental Authorisation (EA) to drill up to 7 wells in the southern part of the Deep Water Orange Basin (DWOB) block. The drilling is planned for a location 211 km from the shore in water depths ranging from 500m to 3,900m, which may represent the deepest offshore drilling.
• The proposed drilling activities involve the use of supply vessels, the establishment of an onshore logistics base, and the discharge of waste materials—including drilling fluids, cuttings, and leftover cement—onto the seabed. Well testing will utilize airgun arrays for Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) to create seismic images of the geology.
• The project poses risks to marine life, including migratory species such as whales, dolphins, sharks, tunas, billfish, leatherback turtles, and the African penguin, which may be harmed by pollution, waste, and noise. Potential oil spills could contaminate fishing areas and damage coastal environments.
• The exploration may negatively impact the livelihoods of fishing communities by altering fish behaviour and reducing total catch and income. Additionally, the coastline between Cape Town and Port Nolloth holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for small-scale fishing communities and Indigenous peoples.
• The project is currently in the second phase (Impact Assessment Phase) of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. Public comments on the Draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report are open from 11 August to 10 September 2025.

APA

Natural Justice (2025). OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION: THE WEST COAST. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TEEPSA-DWOB-South_Info-Pamphlet_EISA_Aug2025_V1.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION: THE WEST COAST. 2025. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TEEPSA-DWOB-South_Info-Pamphlet_EISA_Aug2025_V1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION: THE WEST COAST |date=September 2025 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TEEPSA-DWOB-South_Info-Pamphlet_EISA_Aug2025_V1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2025oil, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION: THE WEST COAST}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TEEPSA-DWOB-South_Info-Pamphlet_EISA_Aug2025_V1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }