|
|
Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 11 May 2011
Methane leaks are contaminating drinking water near shale gas drilling sites in the eastern United States, scientists said on Tuesday, placing a further question mark over this fast-growing energy source.
 Shale gas carries a greater carbon footprint than oil, coal and conventional gas, using current extraction techniques Scientists tested water samples taken from 68 private wells in five counties in Pennsylvania and New York to explore accusations that “hydro-fracking” – a contested technique to extract shale gas – contaminated groundwater.
Methane was found in 85 percent of the samples, and at sites within a kilometre of active hydraulic-fracturing operations, levels were 17 times higher than in wells far from such operations, said the study by researchers at Duke University in North Carolina.
“In these rural areas, almost everybody has a well. They are using the groundwater for some purpose – they are using it for drinking, for their livestock, for agriculture,” lead author Stephen Osborn told AFP.
However, little is known about the health impacts of consuming methane in drinking water.
“We were surprised, and we have spoken with many health officials,” he said.
“There is really no literature that addresses that particular issue – the physiological response – is methane really non-reactive in the body? What are the effects of consuming high concentrations of methane?” Continue reading Drinking water contaminated by fracking
Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 21 April 2011
There seems to be little chance that oil giant Shell’s plans to prospect for shale gas in the Karoo Basin using the “fracking” method will have an impact on South Africa’s bid to host the square kilometre array (SKA) radio telescope.
 An artist's impression of what the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope will look like. Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor said this in a written reply to the National Council of Provinces.
“An application can only have impact if granted,” she said.
“If the Shell application is granted, and if Shell uses communication systems with frequency ranges that interfere with radio telescope operations, the prospecting will affect radio astronomy.”
However, the South African SKA project office (Saspo) had proactively met with Shell and Golder Associates to indicate communications restrictions.
“All operations in the Karoo will be comprehensively addressed through regulations under the Astronomy Geographic Advantage Act 2007, which are expected to be finalised in the 2012/13 financial year, following consideration of the outcomes of the public consultations on the astronomy regulations, Pandor said. Continue reading Fracking won’t impact on SKA bid
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. 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
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
|
Water Rhapsody
is a
WWF Green Trust
award winner.
Save up to 90% of your municipal water bill.
|
