Natural gas may yet prove to be an important part of the solution to this situation. A Production Right has been granted to Forest Oil International, to develop the Ibhubesi gas field off the west coast, and they are currently in the market development phase. With the investment certainties brought about by legislation, other international and local exploration companies will soon be resuming exploration off South Africa's shores for conventional gas resources, while others are beginning to investigate the potential of less conventional resources such as coal bed methane, deep basin gas associated with helium and also shale gas in the Karoo Basin onshore. Due to the undeveloped nature of South Africa's upstream industry, explorers face the hurdle of developing conventional discoveries from scratch, without the luxury of existing infrastructure, while the ultimate potential of unconventional resources is uncertain. However, Petroleum Agency SA is certain that natural gas will play a role in South Africa's energy future.