Petroleum Africa
Find us on: 
Monday, May 11, 2015
The shale gas industry in South Africa is set to finally kick off. According to the country’s minister of mineral resources, Ngoako Ramatlhodi, the government will gazette final regulations by June. The announcement of the gazette of the final regulations comes two years after the draft rules were released.
“We have finalized the regulations… It would be gazetted in a month’s time,”NgoakoRamatlhodi, Minister of Mineral Resources, told reporters before his budget speech to parliament.
While the pursuit of a shale industry will aid the country immensely with meeting its feedstock needs to fuel its power generation capacity, the government gazette may have come too late for some. Shell, who had applied for a shale exploration license, said in March that it was pulling back from the project. Shell’s retreat puts an estimated 50 Tcf up for grabs on the acreage it had applied for according to a study the company had conducted.
While Shell may have pulled back it remains to be seen if it will remain out of South Africa’s shale game, but even if it does there are other firms willing to take its place. Currently Falcon Oil & Gas, Chevron, and Bundu Gas have all applied for shale gas exploration licenses.
The government faced stiff opposition from environmentalists and residents in the Karoo Basin where the shale gas reserves are located, however the government maintains that it has consider every scenario with regards to shale gas extraction i.e. fracking. “We have taken into consideration the issues of water and regulations are going to address this sufficiently, providing proper guidance on how to undertake hydraulic fracturing,” said ThibediRamontja, director general in the department of mineral resources.
" alt="First LNG Realized at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim Project">
" alt="United Energy Acquires Western Desert Producer APEX">
" alt="Baker Hughes Announces Major Gas Technology Orders for Venture Global LNG">
" alt="ReconAfrica: Naingopo Results Demonstrate a Working Petroleum System">
" alt="Tullow Highlights 2025 Operational Plans in Ghana">
" alt="TotalEnergies to Supply 1.5 TWh to STMicroelectronics in France Over 15 years">
" alt="Rockhopper Reaches Final Settlement with United on Egypt’s Abu Sennan Concession">
" alt="Oil & Gas Crucial for African Growth: AEC Calls for Industry Support to Defend African Market">
