Offshore staff
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Petroleum Agency South Africa (PADA) has awarded Sasol Petroleum International an exploration right permit offshore Kwazulu-Natal province.
The concession, which has an initial three-year term, involves exploration in the Durban and Zululand basins off the country’s eastern coast. Both are at the southern end of theMozambique Channel, which has brought large gas discoveries for Anadarko and Eni, mainly in the deepwater Rovuma basin.
“This is Sasol’s first operated exploration right license in South Africa for at least a decade,” said Ebbie Haan, managing director of Sasol Petroleum International.
In 2011, the company was granted a technical cooperation permit (TCP 032) to study and investigate the potential for hydrocarbons, over an area covering 83,000 sq km (32,046 sq mi).
The 100% interest in the exploration right follows submission of a work program in September 2012, followed by an environmental impact assessment and environmental management plan, which was completed in February 2013.
Sasol has already acquired 4,000 km (2,485 mi) of a 2D seismic survey on the new permit out of total planned area of 5,950 km (3,697 mi). The remainder will be acquired next year, followed by interpretation.
11/13/2013
