Skilled workers in Mossel Bay have reportedly lashed out at petroleum giant Total, as they are upset that they have not been offered the opportunity to work on the gas rig that is drilling in the area.
A number of foreign nationals, along with 195 South Africans, are currently working on the Deep-Sea Stavanger. This rig is located 182 kilometres offshore.
As reported by SABC News Western Cape, workers picketed outside a venue where a meeting was slated to take place to discuss a gas project linked to Total’s new discovery of a new gas line on October 28, which is located 175 kilometres off the southern coast of South Africa.
The company said the discovery was made on the Luiperd prospect, located in Outeniqua Basin. It follows the discovery made at the Brulpadda well in 2019, which proved to be a significant petroleum province in the region.
“We are very pleased with this second discovery and its very encouraging results, which prove the world-class nature of this offshore gas play,” said Arnaud Breuillac, the President of Exploration & Production at Total.
“With this discovery and the successful seismic acquisitions, Total and its partners have acquired important data on the Paddavissie fairway, which will help to progress development studies and engage with South African authorities regarding the possible conditions of the gas commercialization.”
The Luiperd well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 3400 metres and it encountered 73 metres of net gas condensate in ‘well-developed good quality’ Lower Cretaceous reservoirs, said Total.
Picture: Twitter
