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Open letter to Shell regarding fracking in the Karoo

Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 24 March 2011

By: Jeremy Westgarth-Taylor – pioneer of Water Rhapsody Conservation Systems

The points in the letter below will be raised by Jeremy Westgarth-Taylor in a meeting with Shell scheduled for 16:00 on 25 March 2011 at Sports Science Centre in Newlands, Cape Town

Dear Shell, I have done a study of other frackers, and I see no difference between you and others elsewhere worldwide, what with the lack of transparency and downright lies.

Millions of litres of water are needed for fracking - per drilling site.

Fracking in our Karoo is not something that we simply don’t want. We are not going to have it. It will not go ahead if nothing else because of the strength of our consumerism. This is not Nigeria where Shell can simply do what Shell pleases.

You and your minions Golder have promised us a lot of things during our meetings, the answers to questions which have not been answered and at best have been obfuscated. Are you lying or simply being economical with the truth in these examples?

For instance; when asked about the toxic compounds that you intend to introduce into the earth, after drillings have been completed, to start your fracking process your Adam Dodson said in one or more meetings:

1.     One of the chemicals used in fracking is also used in ice cream.
2.     The chemicals were something which you would report in the EMP proposal – (which is not there).
3.     The Chemicals are of proprietary nature and could not expose them.
4.     Could not tell us because the geology differs in every area from place to place.

Clearly and succinctly answer which of these is the correct answer. And let us know whether diesel is one of the ingredients. Why don’t you give us the list of all the possible ingredients for this purpose?

We read in the newspapers conflicting things and on the basis of the conflicting items we need some answers. Continue reading Open letter to Shell regarding fracking in the Karoo

No fracking without environmental impact assessment

Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 24 February 2011

The need for South Africa to explore for gas is also informed by its interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Energy Minister Dipuo Peters says.

$waste-pit-on-hydraulic-fracturing-site$

Waste pit on hydraulic fracturing site. Photo by TXsharon

Responding to questions during a media briefing at Parliament about the outcry over shale gas exploration in the Karoo using the fracking method, Peters said that while South Africa knew it had potential for gas, “we’re also alive to the environmental challenges that the process would generate”.

That was why the government would ensure that any development was subjected to environmental impact assessment.

“And I believe that the shale gas exploration would allow us as South Africans to know whether we do have enough gas reserves to use them for power generation or for any other energy need that we have in South Africa.”

Peters said she would advise and request the environmental groups to understand that the need for South Africa to explore for gas was also informed by its interest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Because if we don’t use that gas for whatever purposes that we would want to use it for, it will be released into the atmosphere and it will also create another particular challenge.”

It was important to engage the environmental groups and appeal to them to understand that South Africa needed to develop and create the necessary jobs.

“But, we are alive to the need for us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but also to make sure that we adhere to the National Environmental Management Act (Nema),” Peters said. Continue reading No fracking without environmental impact assessment

Fracking may ignite Karoo water conflict

Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 05 September 2010

A battle is brewing between local people and major energy companies looking to exploit possible sources of shale gas in the Karoo.

Shale gas is natural gas stored in rocks that are rich in organic material such as dark colored shale

And at the heart of the conflict will be the one thing that is really scarce in the Karoo – water.

Five companies have recently been given the go-ahead to search for shale gas – trapped deep in the shale rock making up the Karoo landscape. Among them is Sasol, which has partnered with Statoil and American energy company Chesapeake, Shell, Anglo American, Falcon Gas and Oil and Bundu Gas and Oil, which is owned by an Australian holding company.

Bundu and Sasol executives have both said that if enough gas were found in the area, it would be “game-changing” for the industry.

And while most of these permits are technical co-operation permits (TCPs) and only allow for desktop studies, locals are worried about a controversial process called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, in which vast amounts of water, mixed with sand and chemicals, are pumped into the ground to fracture the rock and release the gas.

The process would require millions of litres of water (up to 20 million litres for each production test well drilled) from the already sparse Karoo. And communities in the US where the procedure is becoming increasingly common, have cried foul after water became contaminated, apparently as a result of fracking. The US government has ordered an investigation into hydraulic fracturing. Continue reading Fracking may ignite Karoo water conflict

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Open letter to Shell regarding fracking in the Karoo

No fracking without environmental impact assessment

Fracking may ignite Karoo water conflict

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