Shell has received environmental approval to drill up to five deep-water wells to explore oil and gas off the west coast of South Africa.

The oil giant applied last year and plans to drill exploration or assessment wells in the Northern Cape Ultra Deep block, located in the Orange Basin, at depths between 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) and 3,200 meters (10,500 feet).

Oil companies, including TotalEnergies, also aim to drill off the west coast of South Africa, where the Orange Basin, which is particularly promising, extends southwards into national waters, in the hope of replicating major discoveries recently made in neighboring Namibia.

“If exploitable resources are discovered at sea, it could contribute significantly to South Africa's energy security as well as to the government's economic development programs,” Shell said in a statement, without specifying a timeframe.

Shell's previous exploration program on the South African east coast had been disrupted by legal actions, with concerns raised about the lack of public consultation and the risks that seismic studies could pose to the marine environment.

This long-standing case is expected to be reviewed this year by South Africa's highest court and could either pave the way for a new boom in exploration or temper industry expectations.

Increasing environmental pressure, illustrated by numerous legal proceedings to stop drilling, as well as heavy bureaucracy, are holding back South Africa's ambitions to develop its oil and gas potential.