CGG sets out seismic plan offshore South Africa

derailed previous seismic plans and these are likely to face court challenges CGG Services has submitted an application to acquire up to 9,000 square km offshore South Africa, targeting to start work in January 2024.

It would carry out the speculative study in the Algoa Outeniqua Basin, off the southeast coast of South Africa. The water depths range from 200 to beyond 4,000 metres, at a range of 45 to 120 km from the shore.

SLR Consulting, which is carrying out the stakeholder engagement work, said it would hold the first local meeting on April 13. It will carry out more of these over the next week, with an online meeting on April 24.

A draft basic assessment report will be available for comment until May 15.

CGG aims to shoot the seismic on a 12,750 square km reconnaissance permit.

Documents for the environmental planning state that the seismic would have “no direct influence” on South Africa’s energy mix.

However, it did state that the local government was keen to explore natural gas options. Not allowing seismic to go ahead, it said, would limit understanding of offshore resources.

A note from the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) confirmed that it had received an application for environmental authorization. A basic assessment report is due by June 21, it said.

CGG aims to carry out the work in the 2023-24 summer window. Seismic should take around four or five months to complete.

Licence holders in the area of the permit include New Age Algoa, Impact Africa, BG International, Total Energies and Sungu Sungu.