Seafloor project could double South Africa's land area

A promising project to determine South Africa's extended continental shelf could add another 1.4 mm sq km of seafloor to the country's approximate land estate of 1.2 mm sq km, thereby doubling the nation's "property". This emerged from the members of the navy's survey ship, the SAS Protea, which, among other things, does hydrographic surveys.
"As a ratifying state to the Law of the Sea Convention, South Africa is bound as a benefactor and beneficiary to the terms of this treaty since ratification in 1998," said Lt Cdr Travis Stead. "For an extended continental shelf - that is beyond 200 nautical miles -- a final claim must be submitted by 2009."

He said for this to happen, extensive technical expertise and ocean surveying had to be done as the country stood to gain "at least 700 000 sq km and at best 1.4 mm sq km of seafloor".
The 700 000 sq km discrepancy related to technical interpretations of article 76 of the Law of the Sea Convention and at this stage "it was uncertain whether additional vast areas such as the Agulhas Plateau and the regions surrounding the 200 nautical mile radius of Marion and Prince Edward Islands may be claimed".

Abri Kampfer, the officer in charge of the SAS Protea, said a desktop study of the areas was under way, with the actual survey scheduled to start next year. "We have sorted out any potential disagreements regarding seaward borders with neighbours Namibia and Mozambique. There is a possibility that we might do surveys together with the French in the area, but this is still a long way off."
The potential benefits for claiming the extended continental shelf are immeasurable, with possible reserves of oil and gas, and minerals a possibility, not to mention the important fact of securing the areas for future generations.

Cabinet approved funding for this national strategic project, initially for R 23 mm, from the Central Energy Fund.
The Petroleum Agency South Africa was appointed co-ordinator, with a steering committee comprising members of the agency, SA Hydrographic Office, the Council for Geoscience, the department of minerals and energy, and the department of foreign affairs. They would be assisted in the mammoth task by a working group of local specialists, including the Institute for Maritime Technology through the South African navy.