Oil and gas company Eco Atlantic said this week it was, with its partners Africa Oil and Ricocure, applying for Environmental Authorisation to undertake exploration activities in Block 3B/4B in the Orange Basin off the Northern Cape/South-West Coast of South Africa.
The joint venture partners have contracted Environmental Impact Management Services (Pty) Ltd ("EIMS") of South Africa to apply for a permit to drill one well and one contingent well (and potentially up to five wells) within an area of interest in the north of the Block.
Block 3B/4B is located offshore western South Africa and is centered approximately 180 km from the coast, in water depths averaging approximately 1000m. EIMS has been appointed to undertake the required Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA").
The Block 3B/4B JV Partners are Africa Oil SA Corp , a wholly owned subsidiary of Africa Oil Corp., the Operator of the Block, holding a 20% Participating Interest, Azinam Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eco Atlantic, holding a Participating Interest of 26.25%, and Ricocure (Proprietary) Limited , holding the remaining 53.75% Participating Interest.
"The JV partners continue to progress the collaborative farm-out process, up to 55% gross working interest in the Block, with various potential parties," Eco Atlantic said.
Africa Oil recently released a new competent person's report for prospective resources in Block 3B/4B. RISC has reviewed the prospective resources and probability of geological success of an inventory of exploration prospects within the block and has reported total unrisked gross P50 prospective resources of approximately 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent ("boe").
Probability of success ranges from 11% to 39% over the 24 prospects identified.
Colin Kinley, Co-Founder and COO of Eco Atlantic said: "We are excited about 3B/4B and the inventory prospective resource targets on the Block as recently announced in the Operator's Competent Persons Report. This creates an outstanding resource exploration and development opportunity for the Joint Venture partnership and South Africa.
"Understanding the latest research and information of changing natural patterns of the environment, and the use and effects that we have on the sea and its natural state is key to successful exploration. The EIMS team and the JV partnership are working closely on seeking Environmental Authorisation to permit and drill these promising and significant opportunities for South Africa in the now proven Orange Basin.
"We successfully met with regional stakeholders, received their approval, and recently drilled a safe exploration well on Block 2B. During this project we proved our capacity to protect regional culture and the environment and safely steward exploration for South Africa's own much-needed energy. In parallel to the research related to our reports and the application for authorization, we will again directly engage with regional stakeholders and communities as we look to do our part for the South African energy solution."