JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Mineral Resources Minister Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi on Thursday officially launched the drill operation for South Africa’s first offshore deep-water well, south of Mossel Bay.
The well, which would be operated by petroleum company Total, gave impetus to South Africa's nascent upstream oil and gas industry, which had the potential to contribute to economic growth and the creation of direct, as well as indirect, job opportunities, the Department of Mineral Resources said in a statement.
"Drilling in deep water is novel to South Africa and will, therefore, also bring with it avenues for skills transfer in the deep-water exploration space for South Africa," Ramatlhodi commented.