Court sinks Shell and Total’s West Coast Drilling Plans in Major Win for Coastal Communities

Court halts Shell and Total’s West Coast drilling ambitions

Shell and TotalEnergies have suffered a major legal setback after the Western Cape High Court overturned the government’s environmental authorisation for offshore drilling off South Africa’s West Coast. The ruling comes amid heightened interest in the region following massive oil finds in neighbouring Namibia.

This decision means both energy giants must go back to the drawing board before they can even think about firing up the drills.

Why the court said “no”

Judge Mangcu-Lockwood’s ruling pointed to serious flaws in the approval process, identifying five key failures:

• No proper study on the impact of a disaster, like a well blowout, on local communities

• Ignoring South Africa’s coastal protection laws

• Inadequate assessment of climate change impacts

• No evaluation of potential harm to neighbouring Namibia’s coastline

• Withholding key emergency response plans from the public

Environmental groups The Green Connection and Natural Justice brought the case to court, arguing that communities were denied the chance to weigh in on crucial emergency plans.

“This is a significant win for transparency and the rights of coastal communities and small-scale fishers who refuse to be sidelined,” said Shahil Singh, legal advisor at The Green Connection.

What happens next

Before any drilling approval can be reconsidered, TotalEnergies must provide:

• Updated assessments on the socio-economic impact of an oil spill

• Full lifecycle climate change impact reports

• Potential cross-border effects on Namibia’s marine environment

• Detailed oil spill and blowout contingency plans

All of this will need to go through public consultation — something activists see as a victory for people power in environmental decision-making.

Not Shell’s first environmental legal battle

For Shell, this isn’t the first time South African courts have blocked its offshore ambitions. In 2022, the Constitutional Court upheld a decision halting seismic surveys off the Wild Coast due to a lack of public consultation and concerns about harm to marine life.

While these court rulings hit its upstream exploration business, Shell plans to maintain that segment in South Africa. However, it’s exiting its downstream operations — including 600 petrol stations — with reports suggesting potential buyers from Abu Dhabi or Switzerland.

Bigger than just oil

For many locals and environmental advocates, this fight is about more than a single project. It’s about protecting marine ecosystems, safeguarding small-scale fishing livelihoods, and ensuring that energy developments are pursued with transparency and accountability.

As one Cape Town-based activist commented on social media after the ruling: “This is proof that our voices matter. The ocean is not for sale.”

Source:Business Tech 

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