A South African court has rescinded an authorisation granted to TotalEnergies and its joint venture partner Shell to explore for oil in a block off the Cape coast, a court judgment seen by Reuters showed.
However, the court said TotalEnergies should be given a chance to rectify deficiencies identified, including a failure to properly assess the potential socio-economic impacts of any oil spills, or take climate change into consideration.
“Total must be afforded opportunity to submit new or amended assessments … to cure the deficiencies identified,” Western Cape High Court Judge Nobahle Mangcu-Lockwood said in her August 13 ruling.
A TotalEnergies spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The French company said last year it intended to exit the concession, Block 5/6/7 located between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas, leaving the operatorship to Shell, with South Africa’s PetroSA holding a minority share.
Anti-exploration lawsuits
The order is the latest in a series of court challenges between environmentalists and oil companies looking to explore along South Africa’s coast.
