South Africa News


Island Drilling's Offshore Rig Lands $30M Contract with Dana Petroleum

Oct 25, 2022

Offshore drilling firm Island Drilling has signed a drilling contract with Dana Petroleum for a drilling program in the UK in 2023.For this, Island Drilling will supply its 2012-built harsh-environment semi-submersible drilling rig, Island Innovator…

Eco Atlantic Starts Operations at Gazania-1 Wildcat Offshore South Africa

Oct 04, 2022

The Island Innovator semi-submersible drilling rig has arrived on Block 2B offshore South Africa, and is set to start operations on the Gazania-1 exploration well.The Gazania-1 exploration well is being drilled in approximately 150 meters of…

TotalEnergies' Gas Fields Could Generate $450M a year for S.Africa

Sep 16, 2022

TotalEnergies 11B/12B offshore gas field could make a direct annual contribution of at least 8 billion rand ($457 million) to South African government finances, the country's petroleum regulator said on Thursday.'That is not just the overall…

TotalEnergies Seeking Production License for S.Africa Block

Sep 06, 2022

TotalEnergies has lodged its production license application for Block 11B/12B offshore South Africa, the national petroleum regulator said on Tuesday, before a deadline expired which might have seen the oil major forfeit its right to develop the huge discovery…

Rig on the Move: Eco Atlantic to Spud 'Transformational' Gazania-1 Well Off S. Africa in September

Aug 12, 2022

Oil and gas company Eco Atlantic said Friday it expected to start drilling at its Gazania-1 well off South Africa in September, as the Island Innovator rig, owned by Island Drilling Company AS, was released and mobilized Friday. The Gazania-1 well is located in the Orange Basin in South Africa…

Deepwater Drilling: Venus Puts Southern Africa in the Spotlight

Jun 17, 2022

Shell's and TotalEnergies' Graff and Venus deepwater discoveries off Namibia have put southern Africa under the exploration spotlight. With deepwater offering high productivity reserves, it's a spotlight that's likely to linger for a few years yet…

Eco Atlantic Agrees to Buy Guyana-focused JHI

Mar 14, 2022

Oil and gas company Eco Atlantic has agreed to acquire 100% of Toronto-based JHI Associates Inc. ('JHI'), including JHI's 17.5% stake in the Canje Block offshore Guyana.The Canje Block, offshore Guyana, is directly adjacent to the prolific Stabroek…

Azinam Hires Island Innovator Rig for Gazania-1 Well, Offshore S. Africa

Mar 03, 2022

Oil and gas company Azinam, soon to be acquired by Eco Atlantic, has hired Island Drilling's Island Innovator semi-submersible drilling rig to drill the Gazania-1 well offshore S. Africa. The news comes in the wake of the recent significant…

TotalEnergies Could Lose S. Africa Offshore Block If It Does Not Submit Output Plan

Mar 02, 2022

Oil major TotalEnergies could see its license to develop a major offshore South African gas find scrapped if it does not submit a production plan by September, the oil and gas regulator said on Thursday.TotalEnergies discovered two large gas fields…

Eco Atlantic Firms Up Azinam Acquisition Deal

Feb 08, 2022

Oil and gas company Eco Atlantic has signed a firm agreement to acquire the South Africa and Namibia-focused oil firm Azinam, in return for a 16.5% equity stake in the enlarged company. The Sale and Purchase Agreement follows a memorandum of…

Shell Seismic Survey Approval Complied with Rules, S.Africa Minister Says

Jan 13, 2022

Shell's plan for seismic testing on South Africa's Wild Coast, which critics say threatens dolphins, seals, whales, penguins and other rare sea life, received all necessary environmental approvals, the country's energy minister said in a letter to parliament…

Eco Atlantic to Acquire Azinam's Offshore Blocks in Namibia, South Africa

Jan 11, 2022

Oil and gas company Eco Atlantic has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to acquire 100% of Azinam Group including Azinam's entire offshore asset portfolio, in return for a 16.65% equity stake in the enlarged group on completion of the acquisition…

S. Africa Court Stymies Shell Offshore Seismic Survey

Dec 28, 2021

A South African high court today blocked Shell from conducting seismic testing offshore from South Africa's pristine Wild Coast, in the latest ruling in a case seeking to prevent the oil major from exploring for oil and gas.On Dec. 3 a different…

S. Africans Protest against Shell's Offshore Oil Exploration

Dec 06, 2021

South Africans took to their beaches on Sunday to protest against plans by Royal Dutch Shell to do seismic oil exploration they say will threaten marine wildlife such as whales, dolphins, seals, and penguins on a pristine coastal stretch.A South…

Shell Wins Court Case to Kick Off Seismic Surveys Offshore South Africa

Dec 03, 2021

A South African high court on Friday struck down an urgent application brought by environmentalists to stop oil major Royal Dutch Shell from starting seismic surveys to explore for petroleum systems off the eastern seaboard's popular Wild Coast…

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