The Fracking Debate in the Karoo

MORATORIUM EXTENDED ON FRACKING IN NSW

By Jessica Burke on 22 July 2011

Tougher rules on the fracking process used to extract coal seam gas will be introduced in New South Wales.

The state Resources and Energy Minister Chris Hartcher announced the changes yesterday, in anticipation of the end to the 60 day moratorium on coal and coal seam gas (CSG) tomorrow.

The ban will continue on just fracking until the end of the year and banned the use of toxic chemicals in the CSG process.

The decisions have been welcomed by Hunter-based opponents of coal seam exploration and mining, but say more needs to be done.

"The extension of the moratorium is a good thing but their approach is a bit piecemeal," Wollombi-based Lock The Gate representative Sean Gough said.

"There are a whole range of issues related to this industry that have not been properly addressed."

The first court challenge against the CSG industry will begin today, with the Environmental Defenders Office representing the Barrington-Gloucester-Stroud preservation Alliance.

The case is expected to be a test run for other communities in NSW opposed to CSG.

An inquiry into the industry, chaired by Senator Bill Heffernan, is currently underway in Queensland, with plans to also investigate issues in NSW.

Heffernan told Australian Mining the inquiry seeks to end the "cowboy regulation" currently controlling the industry.

Yesterday the government also introduced tougher restrictions on the use of groundwater, as well as new public consultation guidelines.

"We understand there needs to be a balance between agricultural land and mining and were determined to get that balance right," Hartcher said.

"That is why we will require all new applications for mining or petroleum projects which have the potential to affect agricultural resources or industries to submit an Agriculture Impact Statement."

Opposition groups are adamant that not enough is being done, and tougher requirements are necessary.

"There are major pollution issues related to the extraction and disposal of the chemicals that have been in the ground for thousands of years," he said.

Eralier this month changes were made to the planning and performance reporting criteria for the New South Wales coal and coal seam gas industries

Johannesburg. - Skaliegas het 'n groter koolstof-voetspoor as olie, steenkool of natuurlike gas oor ten minste 20 jaar, het 'n nuwe wetenskaplike studie bevind.

Skaliegas is die bron waarvoor onder meer Shell in die Karoo wil eksploreer met die omstrede boormetode hidrobreking.
Wetenskaplikes onder leiding van dr. Robert Howarth van die Cornell-universiteit in new York, in die VSA, het gekyk na die kweekhuisgas-uitlatings van die metodes waarmee skaliegas uit die aarde gehaal word.
Hulle het die Amerikaanse federale agentskap die General Accountability Office (GAO) se data gebruik.
Die ondersoek sê wanneer hidrobreking gedoen word, vloei groot hoeveelhede water saam met gas 'n paar dae later na die oppervlakte.
Die meeste van die gas is skaliegas, maar daar is ook groot hoeveelhede metaangas wat ook uitborrel en uit die proses lek. Metaan is 'n kragtige kweekhuisgas - 20 keer meer as koolstofdioksied.
Hulle het bevind gedurende die gemiddelde leeftyd van 'n gemiddelde skaliegas-put word tussen 3,6% en 7,9% van die totale produksie die lug in vrygelaat as metaan.
Anders as koolstofdioksied bly metaal egter net tussen 15 tot 20 jaar in die lug.
Die navorsing meld onder meer: "Die voetspoor vir skaliegas is baie groter as vir konvensionele gas of olie - gesien op enige tydsduur, maar veral oor sowat 20 jaar.
"In vergelyking met steenkool is die voetspoor van skaliegas ten minste 20% groter - en miskien tot twee keer meer oor 20 jaar. Dit is vergelykbaar met steenkool oor 'n periode van 100 jaar."
Die navorsing is op die internet gepubliseer in die webruimte Climatic Change Letters. - Sapa-AFP

http://www.sake24.com/Ekonomie/Skaliegas-is-erger-as-steenkool-20110412

Water is just too precious

Water is a treasure of the Karoo.  It always was and, no doubt, always will be scarce so, understandably, every effort must be made to conserve it. Many communities throughout the Karoo are totally dependent on groundwater.  Any action that harms its purity will be disastrous to man and beast. So, farmers and action groups throughout the Karoo are standing together to stop the multinational giant Shell from drilling for shale gas deposits or fracking (the official term) across a 98 000ha tract of the Karoo in the western, northern and eastern Cape.  “Surely something completely different and more meaningful to this region can be done with Shell’s R3.5-billion budget,” said the farmers. Farmer and lawyer Mike Ferrar said: “Fracking will destroy the essence of the Karoo”.  Fracking uses up to six million litres of water for each well. The water is laced with chemicals and corrosive additives. It is pumped down a drill shaft, then forced at great pressure through apertures in the shaft into the surrounding shale rock beds, which can lie up to 5km below the surface. The shale fractures and releases gas which travels back up a separate shaft to be harvested as a source of electricity. Dr Peter Baker, director of the Richmond Community Development Foundation, said “If Shell used the money earmarked for the fracking to instead develop renewable energy like solar power, the people of the Karoo would benefit. With the fracking, the landowner can expect no return at all and what jobs there might be, except perhaps for a few truck-driving opportunities, will be for people with skills in the gas drilling sector - again cutting the locals out of the equation.” Visit www.fractual.co.za for more.

© Rose's Roundup, May 2011 (No 208)
To subscribe to Rose's Roundup, contact Rose Willis at: karootour@internext.co.za

To precious to "frack"

Much has been written on the intention of Shell Oil to drill or  “frack” (the official term) for shale gas deposits in the Karoo. Julienne du Toit has done a sterling job keeping all Karoosters abreast of what is happening with almost daily reports on Facebook. She has drawn attention to all statements by action groups and newspaper reports from across the world.  Public meetings have been held across the Karoo,  in PE and Cape Town and more are planned in an effort to force these plans to be abandoned.  Many query why people should we be against something it is said will bring clean natural gas into the energy grid and create jobs, but the facts prove that this process has caused great environmental damage in other parts of the world. All interested in the Karoo should visit www.fractual.co.za to update themselves on fracking. Peter Baker and the Richmond Karoosters are now selling tee shirts stating “Don’t Frack with our Karoo “ at R125 each plus postage.   Details from pcbaker@mweb.co.za.

© Rose's Roundup, Apri; 2011 (No 207)
To subscribe to Rose's Roundup, contact Rose Willis at: karootour@internext.co.za