Finance

Shell prohibited from oil and gas exploration off the coast of South Africa

The Constitutional Court of South Africa has blocked Shell's permit for oil extraction at the Wild Coast.

14 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Shell prohibited from oil and gas exploration off the coast of South Africa — Archive photoPhoto: mi chiel · Flickr · BY-SA

The Constitutional Court of South Africa on Friday blocked Shell's plans to extract oil and gas at the Wild Coast along the Indian Ocean. The court overturned a previous ruling from 2024 by a lower court, preventing Shell from conducting further exploration for oil extraction.

The court's decision comes at a time when fuel prices are high, but it remains unclear what this means for Shell's future plans in the region. Shell had previously been granted a permit for exploration, but this has now been declared invalid.

This marks the second time a court ruling has obstructed Shell's plans in South Africa, highlighting the complexities of oil exploration in vulnerable areas.

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