Successful Luiperd hunt boosts South African gas hopes
Second major discovery improves prospects for bringing gas to market but is no panacea
Successful flow testing of South Africa’s Luiperd gas discovery towards the end of last year was more good news for the prospects of developing the discoveries so far in the country’s offshore block 11B/12B. But the challenges of finding customers and political risk remain. During November testing, the Luiperd 1-X well reached a maximum constrained flowrate of 33mn ft³/d (0.9mn m³/d) of gas and 4,320bl/d of condensate, an aggregate of c.9,820bl/d oe. But the absolute open flow potential of the well is expected to be significantly higher, according to Canadian-listed Africa Energy, a junior 4.5pc partner in the block. Consultancy IHS Markit sees Luiperd reserves in excess of 1bn bl oe, potent
Also in this section
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
8 January 2026
The next five years will be critical for the North Sea, and it will be policy not geology that will decide the basin’s future
