Oil and gas companies have been left in limbo as parliament stalls on passing laws that would give the state a 20% free stake in all new energy ventures and enable it to buy an unspecified additional stake. Parliament approved the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill last year but President Jacob Zuma has yet to sign it into law because, he said, it might violate the constitution. The bill was referred back to the legislature on January 16, where it has languished since."Without clarity, investment decisions will be hampered," said Mike Davies, founder of Kigoda Consulting in Cape Town.The state's ownership provisions "are not clearly defined," said Davies. "This allows for multiple interpretations of the possible costs, which will make proper appraisal of potential exploration opportunities virtually impossible."About 70% of South Africa's crude oil is imported, with the balance processed locally from coal and gas.The government initiated a project known as Operation Phakisa last year to boost local production. Companies were encouraged to drill 30 offshore exploration wells within a decade but no deep-water drilling has taken place in South African seas since November last year...