Fracking fears in Zululand

LARGE portions of Zululand are under threat of hydro-logical fracturing techniques (fracking) to recover natural shale gas, and public meetings are to be held in various towns.

The company, Rhino Oil and Gas Explorations South Africa (Pty) Ltd has lodged an application for exploration rights on 10 000 farms from Richmond in the south to Ladysmith and Dundee in the north-west, eastwards of Mooi River and Estcourt.

The area includes Tugela Ferry, Kranskop and Nkandla, and extends almost as far as Ulundi.

Residential areas in the block will not be included.

SLR Consulting (Africa) (Pty) Ltd are the independent environmental assessment practitioners undertaking the environmental assessment and are conducting 11 public participation meetings throughout the region.

Meetings in the Zululand are scheduled for Friday, 6 November at 9.30am in the Mthemba Community Hall and at 2.30pm in the VA Makhoba Hall.

A further meeting will be held in the Nkandla Public Hall on Saturday, 7 November starting at 9.30am.

Stakeholders are invited to register as interested and affected parties through Stella Moeketse on email smoeketse@slrconsulting.com, telephone 011 4670945 or PO Box 1596, Cramerview, 2060.

Project roll-out

In the first phase of the development, Rhino Oil and Gas proposes to undertake exploration for oil and gas, which may be located underground within suitable geological strata.

This data will be used to determine if petroleum is available in the area and, if so, further investigations will continue.

The initial three-year programme will be restricted to non-evasive techniques, seismic surveys and the drilling of less than 10 core boreholes.

Rhino say they will only require access to a few farms for exploration activities and will consult with the land owners.

No hydraulic fracturing or fracking is proposed at this stage.

Environmental fears

Concerns regarding the risk of contamination of groundwater in an already water-stressed environment have been raised.

Despite assurances from potential extractors that the technique is safe, evidence of failed safety measures and resultant contamination is increasingly common in areas where fracking has been approved.

These are the views of the Midlands Conservancies Forum (MCF) located within the uMgungungdlovu District Municipality and within a National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area.

In order to verify the amount of shale gas present in the Midlands and its viability as an energy source, prospecting will need to take place.

Although it has been stated that fracking will not be done, the MCF says this activity has the potential to affect groundwater quality as it requires hydraulic fracturing techniques.