Middle East / Africa
Country profile: South Africa
| Location: | Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa |
| Climate: | mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights |
| Terrain: | vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain |
| Size: | 1219912 sq. km total (Land area: 1219912 sq. km ) |
| Population: | 43,786,115 |
| Languages: | IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census) |
| Government: | republic |
| Capital city: | Pretoria (administrative capital) |
| Legal system: | based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Currency: | rand (ZAR) |
| Licensing: |
Country profile
The South African government is seeking to increase jobs and promote business development throughout the country with the hope of reaching annual 6.0 percent GDP growth in the future. In 2006, South Africa’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate was 4.6 percent. The South African government has committed to ensuring that black-owned companies have access to the energy sector. Under its black economic empowerment (BEE) program, the South African government has set targets of 25 percent BEE ownership of energy companies by 2014.
Large, predominately white-owned corporations have sold assets to achieve this objective, with the first sale occurring in 2000. BEE firms are commonly referred to as “empowerment” firms. The bulk of South Africa’s energy consumption mix is comprised of coal, which the country primarily uses to produce synthetic fuels. South Africa also consumes a substantial amount of oil. Only a small percentage of the energy consumption mix is comprised of natural gas and nuclear.
Energy production and consumption
| Oil | Gas | |
| Production: | 200,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) | 2 billion cu m (2005 est.) |
| Consumption: | 519,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) | 2 billion cu m (2005 est.) |
| Exports: | 217,700 bbl/day (2004 est.) | |
| Imports: | 319,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) | |
| Reserves: | 15 million bbl (1 January 2007 est.) | 27 million cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
| Major fields: |
South Africa - recent news
| 21 Mar 23 |
South Africa: Eco Atlantic announces details of proposed offshore exploration in Orange Basin Block 3B/4B Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas and its partners are applying for Environmental Authorisation to undertake exploration activities in Block 3B/4B in the Orange Basin off the Northern Cape/South-West Coast of South Africa. The JV is planning to drill one well and one contingent well (and potentially up to five wells) within an area of interest in the north of the Block. |
| 15 Mar 23 |
South Africa: Kinetiko Energy provides update on its onshore gas exploration and production development activities Kinetiko Energy, an Australian gas explorer and developer focused on advanced shallow conventional gas and coal bed methane in South Africa, has provided an update on its onshore gas exploration and production development activities. |
| 14 Mar 23 |
South Africa: Vestas wins 373 MW order in South Africa featuring the first V163-4.5 MW wind turbines Independent power producer Red Rocket has placed a 373 MW order for the Brandvalley, Rietkloof and Wolf wind parks, to be located in Western Cape and Eastern Cape, South Africa. |
| 09 Mar 23 |
South Africa: Africa Oil announces new CPR for prospective resources in Block 3B/4B, Orange Basin Africa Oil Corp has announced that an independent review of the Company's prospective resources in Orange Basin Block 3B/4B has been completed by RISC Advisory (UK). RISC have reported total unrisked gross P50 prospective resources of approx. 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Probability of success ranges from 11% to 39% over the 24 prospects identified. |
| 23 Feb 23 |
South Africa: TotalEnergies signs Renewable Power Purchase Agreements with Sasol and Air Liquide TotalEnergies has signed Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPA) with Sasol South Africa and Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa for the supply of 260 MW capacity of renewable electricity over 20 years. |
South Africa - more news
Other countries in this region
- Algeria,
- Angola,
- Bahrain,
- Benin,
- Botswana,
- Burundi,
- Cameroon,
- Central Africa Republic,
- Chad,
- Comoros,
- Congo (Brazzaville),
- Congo (Democratic Rep.),
- Cote d'Ivoire,
- Djibouti,
- Egypt,
- Equatorial Guinea,
- Eritrea,
- Ethiopia,
- Gabon,
- Gambia,
- Ghana,
- Guinea (Republic),
- Guinea Bissau,
- Iran,
- Iraq,
- Israel,
- Jordan,
- Kenya,
- Kuwait,
- Lebanon,
- Liberia,
- Libya,
- Madagascar,
- Malawi,
- Mali,
- Mauritania,
- Mauritius,
- Morocco,
- Mozambique,
- Namibia,
- Niger,
- Nigeria,
- Oman,
- Palestine,
- Qatar,
- Rwanda,
- Sao Tome,
- Saudi Arabia,
- Senegal,
- Seychelles,
- Sierra Leone,
- Somalia,
- Somaliland,
- South Sudan,
- Sudan,
- Syria,
- Tanzania,
- Togo,
- Tunisia,
- Uganda,
- United Arab Emirates,
- Western Sahara,
- Yemen,
- Zambia,
- Zimbabwe
