SA lifts moratorium on fracking

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SA lifts moratorium on fracking

Cape Town - South Africa has lifted a moratorium on shale gas exploration in the semi-arid Karoo region, where the extraction technique of “fracking” might be used to tap into some of the world’s largest stocks of the energy source

Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane said on Friday the cabinet has decided to lift a moratorium imposed in April of last year.

“Cabinet endorsed a recommendation of the report on the lifting of the afore-stated moratorium,” Chabane told reporters.

According to an initial study commissioned by the US energy information administration, South Africa has 485 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable shale gas resources, most of which are located in the vast Karoo Basin.

The amount is the fifth largest of 32 countries included in the study and is pitched as a long-term solution for the energy problems of Africa’s largest economy.

The area is home to gas reserves now being investigated by energy company Royal Dutch Shell and petrochemical group Sasol [JSE:SOL].

South Africa last year imposed a fracking moratorium on oil and gas exploration licences in the semi-arid region to gain time to examine the concerns of environmentalists who say the process would ruin the area and to study the potential gains

http://www.fin24.com/Economy/SA-lifts-moratorium-on-fracking-20120907-2
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Cabinet is going to allow fracking in Karoo

Lifts moratorium on shale gas exploration

South Africa has lifted a moratorium on shale gas exploration in the semi-arid Karoo region, where the extraction technique of “fracking” might be used to tap into some of the world’s potentially largest stocks of the energy source.

Collins Chabane, a minister in the President’s office, said on Friday the Cabinet had decided to lift a moratorium, imposed in April last year, after a study eased safety concerns related to the controversial method.

“When (the results of the study) ... came back, they recommended that it was clearly safe for us to have that programme of exploration of shale gas,” Chabane told reporters.

According to an initial study commissioned by the US energy information administration, South Africa has 485 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable shale gas resources, most of which are located in the vast Karoo Basin.

The reserves, which would rank as the fifth largest among 32 countries included in the study, could be a long-term solution for the energy problems of Africa’s largest economy, which relies on coal to produce 85% of its electricity.

A revocation of the moratorium could benefit Royal Dutch Shell, Falcon Oil & Gas, Sunset Energy and Anglo American, the Eurasia political risk consultancy said earlier this year, adding the move could be “a game changer” for South Africa’s economy.

Oil major Shell said last year it hoped to invest $200 million to explore for shale gas in the Karoo. Petrochemicals group Sasol in November put its shale gas exploration plans on hold but said it would watch further developments.

DEVASTATING IMPACT

South Africa last year imposed a fracking moratorium on oil and gas exploration licences in the Karoo region, to give time to study the potential gains and examine the concerns of environmentalists who say the process would ruin the area.

Ferrial Adam, a climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, said the decision could start a process that could have a devastating impact for the region.

“At the end of the day it is still fracking. They are going to use a lot of water with a enormous amounts of chemicals in them in an area that is water scarce,” she said.

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, involves pressurised water, chemicals and sand being pumped underground to release gas trapped in rock formations. It has been opposed by landowners and environmentalists who say the process can pollute water supplies.

However it has been increasingly taken up in the United States, releasing huge quantities of natural gas and setting an example that other countries with shale gas reserves are keen to follow.

Jonathan Deal, chairman of anti-fracking Treasure the Karoo Action Group, said the decision was “hasty” and “ill-informed”.

“If any exploration licenses are issued in future, we will appeal and naturally resort to litigation should our appeals fail,” he told Reuters.

“The only way to defeat this technology permanently is to get a ruling in the country’s highest court against fracking on environmental grounds.”

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/business/2012/09/07/cabinet-is-going-to-allow-fracking-in-karoo
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Get ready for poisons in our groundwater and water that can be set on fire... :whistle:
 
frak_party.jpg
 
Somebody must have received a kickback.

Guvvament ofishal - No, you can't do that.
Unscrupulous oil company representative - Here, take this briefcase with R1 million in cash. Have this car too, it comes with that sexy chick as well.
Guvvament ofishal - Yes, you can do that.
 
This would be a good thing if we knew the economic benefit would be for all South Africans. However, I'm pretty sure the only people who'll benefit are the politically-connected or the bribe-payers.
 
More tenders, more corruption and more damage to the people who put them there - if only the masses had some inclination as to what their "leaders" are doing to them and their future generations.

Viva cANCer Viva!!
 
I hate, ****ing /hate/ Greenpeace. In the interest of South Africa, however, I support them here and not on environmental grounds either. Fracking technology is still in its infancy and by jumping in too early you can end up very short-changed. Greenpeace will stall the process as long as possible, with the benefit that technology will improve in that space of time. It's win-win really.

I would prefer Sasol being the one to do all the work. It's like the governments hands haven't already been burnt by international petroleum conglomerates. I find it ridiculous that they would offer Shell a contract on oil shale, while they still currently hold the country to ransom.

Both of those concerns can only be addressed by stating that the government is absolutely retarded and short-sighted.
 
South Africa last year imposed a fracking moratorium on oil and gas exploration licences in the semi-arid region to gain time to examine the concerns of environmentalists who say the process would ruin the area and to study the potential gains
Click to expand...

So has the studies been done, and done properly?

The ANC government obviously cannot be trusted where money is involved, so I can't help but wonder who got paid kickbacks for this decision.
 
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