South Africa's offshore sector finally makes some waves

Total plans drilling campaign to establish scale of reserves

South Africa has been waiting for a major discovery to galvanise interest in its offshore oil and gas sector for years and Total last week provided one that could. But the government still needs to put in place a new regulatory framework for the industry capable of wooing investors and, with a general election in the offing, that may not be a rapid process. The French major said on February 7 it has made "a significant gas condensate discovery" on its Brulpadda prospect on Block 11B/12B in the Outeniqua Basin, 175km off the southern tip of South Africa, hailing it as "a new world-class gas and oil play". "The well encountered 57 metres of net gas condensate pay in Lower Cretaceous reservoirs