"Shell has filed plans for a multi-well drilling campaign in an ultra-deepwater Orange basin block in South Africa, adjacent to Namibian acreage where the supermajor and TotalEnergies have made some huge discoveries. The UK-based giant is following in the footsteps of TotalEnergies, which looks set to begin wildcatting next year in two other blocks offshore South Africa, lying south of the area that Shell is interested in but in the same basin.
Shell’s Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) block has flown below the exploration radar compared to its French rival’s high-profile 3B/4B and Deep-Water Orange Basin blocks, but its location looks particularly promising. NCUD lies immediately south of TotalEnergies’ massive Venus find and prospects close to the maritime boundary with South Africa that the Paris-based giant could drill next year. Shell's block also lies directly south of its Jonker and Enigma discoveries in Namibian waters.
The London-listed supermajor has now applied to drill as many as five exploration-cum-appraisal wells in a 5254 square kilometre zone of interest in NCUD, although the timing of the campaign is not known. The block lies about 300 kilometres offshore in water depths between 2500 and 3200 metres."
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