Independent exploration and production company Panoro Energy has applied to secure an exploration right for helium and natural gas in South Africa’s northern Karoo Basin.
The application was submitted to the country’s upstream regulator the Petroleum Agency of South Africa and involves a three-year exploration work program.
Covering an area of approximately 1,427 km2 in South Africa’s Free State province, the program builds on previous preliminary studies conducted as part of a technical cooperation permit granted to Panoro Energy in August 2022.
As part of the exploration right, Panoro Energy aims to build an enhanced dataset to support future exploration activities.
The Karoo Basin boasts some of the highest global concentrations of helium ever recorded, as well as a proven working natural gas system, with nearby analogues including the producing Virginia gas field and Smaldeel gas field.
As part of the application, Panoro Energy will need to undertake an environmental impact assessment and has tapped consultancy company SLR Consulting to manage the environmental authorization process.
