South Africa is likely to experience natural gas shortages from 2026, despite promising offshore discoveries made in recent years. This warning comes from the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA), which provided a sector update during the WITS Gas Symposium this week.
PASA Acting CEO Dr Bongani Sayidini explained that while gas was discovered off the country’s southern coast between 2019 and 2020, those finds—specifically the Brulpadda and Luiperd wells by TotalEnergies and its partners—have not yet yielded commercially viable quantities.
“We have not found gas in commercial quantities in this country. Yes, discoveries were made in 2019 and 2020, but they are located approximately 175 kilometres offshore and remain undeveloped,” said Sayidini.
South Africa currently relies on natural gas imports from Mozambique to meet industrial demand. However, industry experts warn that this supply is nearing the end of its production life, increasing the risk of shortages and threatening key sectors.
There is still no clear timeline on when or if South Africa’s local gas reserves will be developed for commercial use. The uncertainty has raised concerns over future energy security, as the country looks to diversify away from coal and reduce its carbon footprint.