Ultra-deep drilling plan slammed

TotalEnergies SA's proposed project 'may drill the world's deepest offshore well'

- Sheree Bega

In-depth problem: Environmental groups have slammed TotalEnergies EP South Africa's plan to conduct offshore exploration drilling for oil and gas off the country's west coast. Photo: Wiki Commons

(Wiki Commons)

Environmental justice organisations The Green Connection and Natural Justice are opposing a proposal by TotalEnergies EP South Africa to drill what could be the world's deepest offshore well, off the West Coast.

TotalEnergies plans to conduct offshore exploration drilling for oil and gas in the southern part of block Deep Water Orange Basin (DWOB). The area in which it wants to explore for oil and gas covers 15000 square kilometres.

Over a three-year period, up to seven wells will be drilled in the ocean, each taking between three to four months to drill.

Drilling will happen about 200km from the shore, in water between 500m and 3900m deep.

“If approved, this would mean drilling at depths of nearly 3900m, only 211km off the coast of Saldanha — home to many indigenous small-scale fisher families,” said Liziwe McDaid, strategic lead of The Green Connection. “It would be reckless to put their livelihoods and our marine heritage at risk.”

McDaid said the draft environmental and social impact assessment report had revealed serious governance failures.

“What is particularly concerning is how the report downplays the risk of catastrophic oil spills and makes unsubstantiated claims that a blowout could be capped in just 20 days, while experts warn it could take months at these depths.”

She warned that a spill of that scale could devastate fisheries and wipe out tourism jobs and could even spread into Namibian waters, adding that the project could unnecessarily put people’s culture, the ocean and climate action at risk.