The Environmental Authorisation for the Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) project has been granted by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMR/ the Department). This means that the government has given permission to Shell Offshore Upstream South Africa B.V. and its Joint Venture partners to start drilling activities. They plan to begin these activities in 2026 or 2027. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) assumes that two exploration wells will be drilled in the first year and three in the second year.
The area extends from about 300km offshore of Port Nolloth south along the western coastline towards Strandfontein, about 5,254km in size. The area is in waters of approximately 2,500m to 3,200m deep.
This community information pamphlet was produced in July 2025 and is also available to download in Afrikaans.
To find out more about the NCUD Draft ESIA Report (December 2024) CLICK HERE
To find out more about the NCUD Draft Scoping Report (August 2024) CLICK HERE
