EARLIER this year, the unwelcome threat of fracking in Vryheid emerged when Rhino Oil and Gas pitched up on our doorstep in March, looking to explore for gas and oil.
Hydraulic Fracturing, more commonly referred to as ‘fracking,’ involves blasting huge amounts of water, sand and chemicals deep into underground rock formations to access oil and natural gas.
Locals were up in arms, telling the company to “get the frack out of town” in no uncertain terms, with the severe drought conditions already taking its toll on farmers and further threats to the water supply and quality completely unwanted.
Rhino Oil and Gas representatives assured the aggrieved locals that they would merely be “exploring” the area and that fracking would not necessarily be the definite conclusion.
Recent documentation was sent out to all affected parties who had voiced their concerns or interest in the matter, stating that the Environmental Impact Assessment has been given the go-ahead, but this does not mean that exploration rights have been approved.
“Application for environmental authorisation in support of an exploration right
application for petroleum products on various farms in the magisterial districts of Ubombo, Simdlangentsha, Utrecht, Ngotshe, Newcastle, Vryheid, Nongoma, Hlabisa, Dannhauser, Mahlabatini, Nqutu, Dundee, Glencoe, Klipriver, Babanango, Lower Umfolozi, Mtonjaneni, Msinga, Estcourt, Weenen, Kwazulu-Natal Province (12/3/317 ER): Update on scoping and EIA process: Our previous correspondence of July 19, 2016 regarding the abovementioned project has reference.”
“Please be advised that on August 31, 2016 the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) accepted the Scoping Report for the abovementioned application in terms of Regulation 22(a) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2014 (GNR 982, 8 December 2014).”
“The acceptance means that SLR Consulting (Pty) Ltd, as the independent environmental assessment practitioner, may continue with the EIA process in accordance with the Plan of Study presented in Section 7 of the Scoping Report. Note that this acceptance does not constitute an approval of the exploration right application in terms of section 79 of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (28 of 2002).
Registered interested and affected parties will be advised in due course of further opportunities for engagement with the project team as well as the availability of the EIA Report for review.”
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