People demonstrate for electricity outside the Cape Town Convention Centre during the African Energy Week
Majors pull out of flagship South African gas projects
Without a pipeline of developments in place, the country’s energy crisis is poised to worsen
South Africa’s energy ambitions suffered another setback with TotalEnergies’ recent decision to withdraw from a number of offshore blocks. These included the locations of Luiperd and Brulpadda, the two gas fields many saw as the most promising potential developments to help plug South Africa’s chronic energy shortages. TotalEnergies is withdrawing from Block 11B/12B—site of Luiperd and Brulpadda—and its 45% stake in the offshore asset, in addition to pulling out of blocks 5, 6 and 7. The French major acknowledged the Luiperd and Brulpadda gas discoveries but said it “could, however, not be turned into a commercial development as it appeared to be too challenging to economically develop and m
Also in this section
21 January 2025
The new president must put his cards on the table and tell the American people, and the world, if the US is formally abandoning the energy transition
20 January 2025
Country offers to boost gas exports to Europe to 10bcm/yr, but serious questions remain
20 January 2025
The country’s oil and gas giant, KazMunayGas, is pushing ahead with a series of significant international partnerships
17 January 2025
Supply glut or supply deficit are both plausible outlooks, with tariffs and sanctions among the key risks that could swing the pendulum
