TotalEnergies applies for production licence in nick of time
Developing the Brulpadda and Luiperd fields is seen as a vital pillar of SA’s gas energy ambitions
TotalEnergies has lodged its production licence application for Block 11B/12B off the south coast of SA, the national petroleum regulator said on Tuesday, before a deadline expired that might have seen the oil major forfeit its right to develop the huge discovery.
TotalEnergies discovered two large gas fields, Brulpadda and Luiperd, in block 11B/12B about 175km offshore in 2019 and 2020.
The application was filed on Monday and “will be assessed for completeness over the next 14 days”, the Petroleum Agency SA said.
In March, the CEO of the agency said if TotalEnergies did not submit its production licence application by September when its exploration licence expired, the block would revert to the market.
Developing the block is seen as a vital pillar of SA’s gas energy ambitions, with the development of the Luiperd prospect potentially connecting to an existing offshore platform run by national oil company PetroSA via a sub-sea pipeline of less than 100km.
PetroSA’s 45,000 barrel per day gas-to-liquid refinery in Mossel Bay is virtually at a standstill as production has plummeted due to dwindling gas feedstock.
TotalEnergies’s joint venture partners in Block 11B/12B include QatarEnergy and Canadian Natural Resources.
Reuters