Impact assessment on Block 11B/12B extended

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A further extension on the submission of a new environmental and social impact assessment (Esia) of the offshore Block 11B/12B was recently announced by Africa Energy, the company currently holding interest in it.

This is not the first extension of this assessment. It was announced in October last year that the assessment's submission would be 4 May, however, in late April, Africa Energy released a statement saying the new submission deadline was now 4 November.

The block (known as Brulpadda and Luiperd) is between 75km and 120km offshore of the Southern Cape coast, between Mossel Bay and Cape St Francis.

TotalEnergies had a majority interest in this block (45%); however, it announced its withdrawal from the block in a statement it had issued in July 2024.

Joint partners CNR International, which held 20% interest, and QatarEnergy, which held 25%, withdrew their interest shortly after TotalEnergies' announcement, leaving just Africa Energy Corp, which holds 10% interest through its investment in Main Street.

Africa Energy said in its most recent statement that the "further extension to the Esia has been granted in light of the decision by the Western Cape High Court to set aside an environmental authorisation for offshore exploration operations in Block 5/6/7 (held by an unrelated party) so that additional, new and amended environmental assessments can be conducted and placed before the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources for reconsideration."

Block 5/6/7 is an offshore block between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas.

Africa Energy further stated that an application for leave to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court of Appeal has been launched by the unrelated party.

The company said it had met with its advisors, including its legal counsel, to determine a way forward. It added that the granting of the environmental authorisation is a prerequisite to the granting of the production right to Block 11B/12B.

Through Main Street, Africa Energy still currently holds a 10% participating interest in Block 11B/12B. Africa Energy said that subject to all relevant regulatory approvals by South African authorities regarding the 2024 withdrawals of TotalEnergies, CNR International and QatarEnergy and the completion of the restructuring of Main Street (announced on 29 May 2025), Africa Energy expects to hold a 75% direct interest in Block 11B/12B.

It said both the assignment of the withdrawing parties' interest in the block to Main Street and the completion of the Main Street restructuring require the grant of the production right to the block.

Previous articles:

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’