The moratorium on shale gas exploration, which was imposed  in South Africa last April, was recently lifted, effectively opening the door for fracking in the Karoo region. Since the first mention of possibly using fracking as an extraction technique, debate has raged, with many calling into question the environmental impact it may have.

Minister in the presidency, Collins Chabane made the announcement earlier today, explaining that the move came, in part, as the result of a recommendation they were given.

Cabinet endorsed a recommendation of the report on the lifting of the afore-stated moratorium.

Whether fracking will, and should, be used to extract the gas resources is a very heated topic, with a large portion of the public weighing in against it. Environmentalists have pointed to scientific evidence which they say proves that it will harm the environment. Muna Lakhani, Cape Town branch co-ordinator for Earthlife Africa, a local environmental and anti-nuclear organisation, elaborated,

Earthlife Africa’s position is actually quite simple: There is ample scientific evidence to confirm water pollution, and the point that the water is at a shallower level than the gas is of indeed more concern, both because of the potential break in integrity in the fracking cement lining and from the actual escape of the fracking water.

The image below depicts the process of fracking.

Other parties have called for further investment in renewable energy sources, which could potentially put an end to the energy crisis.  The WWF offered the following,

We do not need unconventional gas to meet growing energy demand in South Africa, as we have far more immediately viable and sustainable energy development options than shale gas.

Scenarios for energy supply, both nationally and globally, consistent with strong economic growth, indicate the imperative for not utilising the full extent of fossil fuel reserves already established, but rather prioritising the use of renewable energy resources.

These, and other arguments, may not be enough to curb the motivations of energy-hungry corporations who stand to make substantial financial gains from the the exploitation of the natural gasses. The  US energy information administration commissioned a study which found that South Africa had “13.7 trillion cubic metres of technically recoverable shale gas resources”, most of which lay under the Karoo Basin. Conservative estimates see Royal Dutch Shell, an applicant for exploration, spending up to $200 million in the search for recoverable gas.

[Source: News24, Times Live]