Makaula said the organisation and Natural Justice submitted detailed objections in August and December 2024. “This EIA authorisation is a slap in the face of the small-scale fishers and communities who have consistently raised concerns about the project and its potential impact on their livelihoods.”
Shell is allowed to drill up to five wells, starting with one and adding more if it succeeds, using a drillship or similar vessel. Each well could take three to four months to drill, supported by up to three other vessels.
Shell is allowed to carry out wireline logging using vertical seismic profiling, a technique that creates detailed seismic images of the rock layers around the well once the drilling reaches its planned depth.
“The objective is to confirm the presence of petroleum,” the document reads.
Shell is allowed to test up to two wells to assess their commercial potential, carry out sonar mapping and seabed sampling and use remotely operated vehicles to inspect the seabed before and after drilling. Wells will be sealed with tested cement plugs once drilling is complete and a final survey will ensure the area is clear before the drillship leaves.
Makaula said the department’s decision was alarming given the climate crisis and risks to marine life and small-scale fishers, especially in the Northern Cape, where many communities are vulnerable.
“Despite industry claims, gas is not a transition fuel — it is a fossil fuel that contributes to the climate crisis. Climate scientists confirm new oil and gas projects are incompatible with limiting warming to 1.5°C.
“Approving this sort of development now undermines climate action and endangers the communities it claims to benefit — especially as gas poses more climate risks, due to methane emissions that have 80 times the heating potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period,” said Makaula.
https://www.timeslive.co.za/authors/philani-nombembe/
www.timeslive.co.za
