Eksplorasie vir skaliegas kan in 2016 begin | Die Nuus in Afrikaans - Koerant.co.za
Eksplorasie vir skaliegas kan in 2016 begin
Die moratorium op die uitreiking van nuwe permitte vir skaliegas eksplorasie in die Karoo is die afgelope week deur die regering gelig. Mnr. Mosa Mabuza, die Departement van Minerale Sake se adjunk-direkteur-generaal vir beleid rondom minerale, sê hidrobreking, oftewel “fracking”, lisensies kan teen Julie of Augustus 2015 al uitgereik word.
Maatskappye wat bereid is om eksplorasiewerk te doen en wat reeds toestemming het om na gas te soek het hul kommer uitgespreek oor produksiekoste wat hoog gaan wees. Dié maatskappye onderhandel tans om die regering te oorreed om af te sien van die wysigingswetsontwerp vir die ontwikkeling van minerale- en petroleumhulpbronne wat vanjaar goedgekeur is, ingevolge waarvan die regering ‘n gratis aandeel van 20% in enige nuwe eksplorasie en die produksie van olie en gas kan kry.
Die skatting vir die hoeveelheid skaliegas beskikbaar in die Karoo is ook afwaarts aangepas van 485 triljoen kubieke voet gas tot tussen 18 en 70 triljoen kubieke voet.
Intussen behoort die tegniese regulasies teen die einde van Januarie 2015 in die Staatskoerant gepubliseer te word, na die afhandeling van ’n laaste rondte openbare konsultasie, sê direkteur-generaal mnr. Thibedi Ramontja. Hy sê die Regering sal terug keer na gemeenskappe wat deur die beplande hidrobreking geraak word, om hul bekommernisse aan te spreek.
Tussen Februarie en Junie 2015, na konsultasies met die betrokke gemeenskappe, sal die departement daarop fokus om prospekteerlisensie-aansoeke vir skaliegas te herverwerk. Lisensies sal dan uitgereik word. Die nuwe regulasies behoort ’n raamwerk daar te stel wat veiliger verkenning en latere ontginning van skaliegas sal verseker, sê Ramontja.
Lees voledige berig in Engels News24.com
Cape Town – The first exploratory drill head could be biting its way down through Karoo rock in search of shale gas by as early as mid-2016, according to the mineral resources department.
Earlier, members of Parliament’s land and mineral resources select committee heard the licences could be issued by July-August next year.
“[In] December this year, to January next year, we intend to finalise consultations on regulations with affected communities.”
He said it was necessary that government go back to communities to show what had been done – since imposing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing and associated activities – to address their concerns.
There has been considerable opposition to plans to explore for what are believed to be considerable deposits of shale gas in the Karoo, including concerns about contamination of the region’s scarce water resources.
Ramontja said that after consultations with communities, the department would focus – over the period February to June next year – on re-processing applications to explore for shale gas.
“Our intention is that by July-August next year, we will be issuing exploration licences, beyond which the shale gas exploration shall duly commence.”
Speaking later, he said “conservative” estimates put the amount of shale gas under the Karoo at between 18 and 70 trillion cubic feet, well down on initial estimates of about 485 trillion cubic feet.
Asked how long it might take from “striking” an economically viable gas deposit to setting up the infrastructure to have the first gas flow into the economy, Mabuza said this could take up to two years.
“[But] you will never know what you have until you’ve drilled,” he said.
“The risks are quite low in terms of polluting the water resources,” he said.