South Africa’s Department of Energy aims to ramp up electricity generation through the increasing availability of gas in the country, Energy Minister, Jeff Radebe, said on Wednesday.
Speaking in Johannesburg, he highlighted the vast potential gas has to benefit the energy sector and attract investment, highlighting the recent Brulpadda gas resource discovery, in the Outeniqua Basin of South Africa.
Earlier this month, French oil and gas major Total made an important gas condensate discovery on the Brulpadda prospects on Block 11B/12B.
The drilling campaign yielded 57m of net gas condensate pay and the prospect has resources of more than 500 million barrels, with significant follow on potential.
“Imported liquefied natural gas, piped natural gas, imported liquefied petroleum gas, indigenous gas like coal-bed methane and ultimately shale gas, are part of our strategy for regional economic integration within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to provide the energy infrastructure to support economic growth,” he said.
He added that SADC has recognized the strategic need for a regional Gas Master Plan, given the recent gas discoveries in parts of SADC, pointing out that gas resources from Mozambique and Tanzania were especially well positioned for cross boundary development of gas pipeline infrastructure.
“It is important that gas demand in the region is serviced from regional gas resources, so as to increase the opportunity for intra-African trade and economic collaboration,” he noted.
