A high court in South Africa has halted an offshore oil exploration project by TotalEnergies, ruling that the company’s environmental assessment was incomplete and failed to meet legal requirements.

The case was filed by environmental groups who argued that the review overlooked serious ecological risks and did not allow for proper public input.

The ruling is a setback for the French energy major, which is preparing a large exploration drive off South Africa’s coast. TotalEnergies had planned to drill up to seven wells starting in 2026 across several licensed offshore blocks, including the Deep Water Orange Basin and Outeniqua South.

While this project cannot move forward under the current approval, the court has given the company the chance to submit a revised application. Separately, a draft environmental report for another planned drilling campaign remains open for public comment until September 10.

TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné has said the company is still committed to developing South African resources, adding that its recent multibillion-barrel oil find in neighboring Namibia shows the region’s strong potential.

Environmental groups, meanwhile, welcomed the decision, calling it part of a wider shift in courts across Africa and beyond to hold oil companies accountable for the environmental and climate risks of fossil fuel expansion.