D3 Energy Ltd (ASX:D3E, OTCQB:DNRGF)’s footprint in South Africa’s Free State has further expanded after the country’s petroleum regulator, Petroleum Agency SA (PASA), formally accepted the company’s three Exploration Right applications (ER391, ER392 and ER393).
The applications cover areas previously held as TCPs by D3E and are contiguous with its highly prospective ER315 permit in the Free State Province.
Acceptance moves the applications into the next regulatory phase, with Environmental Authorisation submissions and public consultation processes now to be conducted.
“The acceptance of these Exploration Right applications marks another meaningful step in advancing our onshore gas and helium strategy in the Free State. It reflects the strong technical foundation we have established across the region and reinforces the momentum building within our broader exploration and development plans above and beyond our initial Production Right application,” managing director David Casey said.
“These new ER’s along with the recent grant of TCP 273 strengthen the platform for our next phase of growth, supporting future appraisal activity and potential commercial pathways as our portfolio continues to mature. We look forward to building on our prominent position as we leverage our growing knowledge and understanding of this unique fairway to significantly derisk and expand on what is already a significant world-class resource.”
Building a broader, strategically significant onshore portfolio
The accepted applications were lodged under Section 79 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act No. 28 of 2002) and relate to exploration for petroleum and gas, including helium-bearing potential identified through regional subsurface analysis.
The regulator’s acceptance marks another step in building a broader, strategically significant onshore portfolio in South Africa, following progress on its flagship ER315 permit and the Production Right application submitted last year, and supports continued technical and regulatory work in the Free State.
Technical permit next to flagship Free State helium ground
D3 Energy expanded its Free State footprint after being granted a new Technical Cooperation Permit, TCP273, in South Africa’s Free State Province — strengthening its position in what the company describes as a world-class helium province.
The newly awarded permit sits adjacent to D3’s existing exploration holdings and application areas, including its flagship Exploration Right, ER315, where the company has already applied for an initial Production Right over part of the permit area.
TCP273 covers about 83,047 acres (around 33,608 hectares), lifting D3’s total granted and applied-for footprint in the region to 479,409 acres (about 194,010 hectares).