South Africa could become home to a major offshore oil and gas services and logistics hub servicing both the West African and newly emerging East African deepwater sectors.
It is for this reason that Scottish Development International together with UK Trade & Investment are running a seminar in Aberdeen on June 6. This will be chaired by well-known and highly regarded local entrepreneur Melfort Campbell.
SA is seen as being especially well placed for Namibia and Mozambique; however, South African High Commission minister – economic, Yusuf Timol, reckons that, with the right infrastructure, his country could service a much wider area.
A number of companies have used Cape Town especially as a base in recent years, among them is Aberdeen’s Craig Group. Others that treat SA as regional HQ include Schlumberger, Weatherford, Worley Parsons, KBR, Fugro, Baker Hughes and Haliburton.
Timol told Energy that his country plans to promote the huge port of Saldanha as the primary centre. He is especially keen to catch more of the rig servicing market than is currently the case. A large number of rigs and drillships transit around the Cape of Good Hope in any case.
Offshore oil and gas exploration activities in South African waters have been accelerating over the last 18 months, with all available acreage licensed to 21 companies. 36 permits/rights/applications including frontier deep water extensive 3-D seismic campaigns are under way.
See SDI’s website for more information and to book.
