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Karoo Fracking

South African anti-fracking group threatens legal challenge

Screen Shot 2014-03-11 at 14.07.51Extract from a Reuters article by Ed Cropley published 22 July 2014 under the headline: “UPDATE 1-S.African anti-fracking group threatens legal challenge”

JOHANNESBURG, July 22 (Reuters) – A South African anti-fracking group threatened a legal challenge on Tuesday to government plans to grant shale gas exploration licences in the pristine semi-desert of the Karoo, saying the regulatory process had been marked by “patent ineptitude”. Green groups wanting to protect the Karoo, believed to hold significant shale gas deposits, said Pretoria was incapable of ensuring firms such as Royal Dutch Shell, at the forefront of the fracking push, would adhere to the rules. read more

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Shell: no certainty fracking for Karoo shale gas economically viable

Extracts from an article by Melanie Gosling published on 11 March by Independent Online under the headline: “Fracking revenue still not quantified – Shell”

Screen Shot 2014-03-11 at 14.07.51Cape Town – Shell says there is no certainty that fracking for shale gas in the Karoo will be economically viable. Niall Kramer, Shell’s upstream manager, told delegates at a roundtable discussion on fracking on Monday that only once the oil company had completed exploration work would it be able to assess whether fracking would be economically viable. “Many people think this gas is a done deal. That’s not the case. read more

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Sasol ‘eyes Shell Karoo acreage’

Extracts from an article by Eoin O’Cinneide published by upstream online.com

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52South African petrochemicals giant Sasol is eyeing some of Shell’s shale gas acreage in the country’s Karoo basin… “We are really interested in what is going in the Shell block and would love to farm in or take a piece of it,” Reuters quoted Sasol chief executive David Constable as saying on Monday. “Shell is issuing profit warnings and pulling back capex right now.”

Full Article
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South Africa Says Fracking Fluids Must Be Disclosed by Explorers

Royal Dutch Shell Plc and other explorers have applied for permits to explore the semi-desert Karoo region. South Africa, which in 2012 ended a ban on the practice known as fracking, estimates shale gas may generate 1 trillion rand ($100 billion) of sales in 30 years.

Screen Shot 2012-11-08 at 18.48.04

South Africa proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing that would require disclosure of chemicals used and meet standards set by the American Petroleum Institute, a year after lifting a moratorium on the technique.

“Equipment used in hydraulic fracturing operations must be fit for purpose and must meet relevant API standards,” the government said today on the website of its national gazette. “Fluids and their status as hazardous/non-hazardous substances” must be submitted as part of an impact assessment, it said. read more

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Shell South African Shale Drive Riles Farmers Over Water: Energy

Royal Dutch Shell Plc shale gas drilling plans for South Africa’s Karoo semi-desert are pitting the government and its energy goals against farmers and conservationists like billionaire Johann Rupert who say the land will be spoiled.

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Shell applied for permission in 2011 to drill 24 exploratory wells in the Karoo. Source: GO!/Gallo Images/Getty Images

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA)’s shale gas drilling plans for South Africa’s Karoo semi-desert are pitting the government and its energy goals against farmers and conservationists like billionaire Johann Rupert who say the land will be spoiled.

The government estimates enough gas can be discovered to generate 1 trillion rand ($100 billion) of sales within three decades and help bring a country that imports 70 percent of its crude oil needs closer to supplying its own energy demand. Landowners are lining up against the water-intensive drilling techniques that Europe’s biggest oil company intends to use. read more

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Selection of links

LINKS TO ARTICLES THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO OUR VISITORS: SUPPLIED BY A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR

I noticed some debate in your blog about ‘price fixing’, with the Royal Dutch Shell loyalists claiming it was all the fault of ‘big government’. Right. If you believe that then you will believe that pigs can fly. Here are some articles relating to ‘price fixing’ by ‘big oil’.  Price fixing by Big Oil ??? Say it is not so !!! It is all due to Evil Bureaucrats in Big Government meddling in free markets.

Judge approves class action lawsuit against alleged gas cartel in … read more

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South Africa Allows Exploration of Shale Gas Resources

Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said, “If extraction of the gas can be done safely, let’s go and do it.” Source: South African Government via Bloomberg

By Franz Wild and Andres R. Martinez on September 07, 2012

South Africa, which has the world’s fifth-largest shale-gas resources, lifted a moratorium on the exploration of natural gas trapped in rock, the mines ministry said.

The government imposed a ban last year on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, while it studied the environmental repercussions of allowing companies including Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. (FO) and Bundu Oil & Gas (Pty) Ltd. to employ the practice. Fracking, which involves blasting water mixed with sand and chemicals underground to free trapped hydrocarbons from shale formations, has been banned in France. read more

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Global anti-fracking day rally – Invitation to attend

From: michael wentworth <[email protected]>
Subject: Global anti-fracking day rally – Invitation to attend
Date: 12 July 2012 10:15:59 GMT+01:00
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected], [email protected]

Good morning

The 28th of July is Global Ant-Fracking Day and the village of Nieu-Bethesda is hosting a series of events to oppose hydraulic fracturing.

At 5pm there will be a rally which will be addressed by Johnathan Deal (Treasure the Karoo Action Group), Doug Stern (Karoo Farmer & part of a delegation that visited the USA), Derek Light (Karoo Attorney and activist); Kevin Watermeyer (the Sneeuberg Emerging Farmers Association) and Marina Louw (Climate Justice Campaign). read more

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Shell wants to get juniors on its side

Jul 08 2012 15:00 Francois Williams

Cape Town – With all eyes on the long-awaited Cabinet decision on shale gas exploration in the Karoo, environmental groups and politicians were upset last week when they realised Shell was still continuing with its Karoo plans.

There is still a moratorium on the awarding of exploration licences and government has not yet announced if it will approve controversial hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Shell’s representatives appear to be very busy trying to convince local authorities in the Karoo of the socio-economic benefits of shale gas development. A meeting with the Karoo Hoogland municipality took place last week in the Northern Cape. The municipality embraces towns like Fraserburg, Williston and Sutherland and large parts of the area where Shell wants to look for shale gas. read more

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Concerns over ‘insanity’ of Shell South Africa fracking plans

Western Cape, South Africa (CNN) — South Africa has an energy deficit on its hands. Too many people want fuel for their cars and electricity for their homes, and the country is struggling to keep up with demand.

To help ease this perceived crisis the big companies want to start drilling for natural gas using a controversial drilling technique called fracking. Under the plans the drilling will be done in one of the most remote and beautiful places in South Africa, the Karoo. read more

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Hunt for Gas Hits Fragile Soil, and South Africans Fear Risks

In July, the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa, an independent agency that sets guidelines for media companies, ruled that several of Shell’s advertised claims — including one that said fracking had never led to groundwater contamination — were misleading or unsubstantiated and should be withdrawn.

Chris Hayward, a South African farmer, says, “If our government lets these companies touch even a drop of our water, we’re ruined.”: Photo Credit: Liaan Pretorius for The New York Times

A version of this article appeared in print on December 31, 2011, on page A1 of the New York edition

By

KAROO, South Africa — When a drought dried up their wells last year, hundreds of farmers and their families flocked to local fairgrounds here to pray for rain, and a call went out on the regional radio station imploring South Africans to donate bottled water.

Covering much of the roughly 800 miles between Johannesburg and Cape Town, this arid expanse — its name means “thirsty land” — sees less rain in some parts than the Mojave Desert. read more

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Shell doing its best to make fracking safe, water friendly

October 5 2011 at 05:00am

By Jan Willem Eggink, General Manager Upstream Operations, Shell South Africa

Some of you may have seen this image on television or the internet. A man reaches across and turns on his kitchen tap. He takes a lighter and applies it to the stream of water, it bursts into flame. The flame is attributed to the presence of methane gas.

It is a powerful image. But it is important to be clear about the source of the gas. While critics suggest natural gas drilling as the cause, there is considerable evidence that dissolved methane can occur naturally in ground water. Indeed, according to the Department of Water Affairs, methane gas has been found in shallow water wells in the Karoo. read more

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Karoo gas could fuel SA for decades — Shell

Shell says it would invest billions of dollars in the development of a Karoo gas field in the event that it got the go- ahead to drill and if its exploration of the area proved fruitful

LINDA ENSOR
Published: 2011/09/02 06:49:50 AM

CAPE TOWN — Shell would invest billions of dollars in the development of a Karoo gas field in the event that it got the go- ahead to drill and if its exploration of the area proved fruitful, Shell’s upstream manager for SA, Jan Eggink, said yesterday.

The US Energy Information Administration has estimated that there are 485-trillion cubic feet of shale gas in the Karoo, enough to make SA self-sufficient in energy for decades to come.

Exploration alone would cost Shell $200m even if it was found that the reserves were not exploitable, Mr Eggink told the Cape Town Press Club.
read more

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South Africa: Shell fracking in semi-desert Karoo

How do farmers prove that Shell has polluted their lands, what lengths people have to go through to get their rights?


From pages 35, 36 & 37 of “Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles” – Background report to the Erratum of Shell’s Annual Report 2010

The report is made on behalf of Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands)
Author: Albert ten Kate: May 2011.

Farmers, scientists, NGOs, a Dutch princess, a business tycoon, a long-distance swimmer, a Facebook account with already 6,500 members as of 19 April 2011. Royal Dutch Shell is facing strong opposition to its plans to get an exploration license to seek shale gas in South Africa’s semi-desert Karoo region.

The consulting firm Golder Associates, working on behalf of Shell, drafted an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for three exploration areas, each comprising 30,000 kilometres. Until 5 April 2011, the public was allowed to comment to these plans. The drilling of a maximum of 24 wells was not expected to commence before 2012. Golder stated in its conclusions to the EMPs that there was no material evidence that a small number of exploration wells could result in an unacceptable level of environmental impact, and that therefore the determination of the resource potential of the Karoo shale gas formations not should be prevented or delayed. As long as the siting and management of the wells would be controlled through a rigorous, scientific Environmental Impact Assessment process, it would be unlikely that the construction would result in unacceptable environmental damage, the company continued. read more

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Fracking: Shell admits safety is not a given

GUY ROGERS | 22 August, 2011 00:44

The petroleum company heading calls for the Great Karoo to be opened up for exploration for natural gas has admitted that it cannot guarantee the safety of its operations.

This concession by Shell SA boss Jan Willem Eggink was made as the findings of a UN investigation of oil-industry pollution in Nigeria, with particular reference to the culpability of Shell, were released.

Shell wants to explore the Karoo for natural gas and recover it using hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”.

In fracking, shale several kilometres beneath the surface is ruptured to release tightly bound gas.

Fracking has been outlawed elsewhere in the world because it has been shown to pollute ground water reserves. read more

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Shell: nothing wrong with fracking and unconventional gas

From pages 32, 33 34 & 35 of “Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles” – Background report to the Erratum of Shell’s Annual Report 2010

The report is made on behalf of Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands)
Author: Albert ten Kate: May 2011.

Shell: nothing wrong with fracking and unconventional gas

In its communication, Shell makes no difference between conventional and unconventional gas in terms of environmental and health risks. The company generally refers to natural gas as being cleaner-burning than coal in power plants and as being a bridge to a low-carbon energy future.

On fracking, Shell states on its website: “This is a safe and proven technique according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is now carrying out a new study into hydraulic fracturing and its potential impact. Fracturing has been used by oil and gas companies for over 60 years.” The company does not mention that there are great differences between the traditional fracking and the present high-volume fracking, that the EPA has been presently accused of hiding some severe impacts of fracking, and that the U.S. government has not been able and/or willing to monitor the booming U.S. shale gas business adequately. read more

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Shell will disclose chemicals used to extract shale gas

OIL company Shell will publicly disclose the names of chemicals to be used in the planned shale gas hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo

BY SISEKO NJOBENI
Published: 2011/07/20 07:44:11 AM

OIL company Shell will publicly disclose the names of chemicals to be used in the planned shale gas hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo, Shell SA Upstream GM Jan-Willem Eggink said yesterday.

The move by the company is meant to allay fears that hydraulic fracturing or fracking would lead to groundwater contamination in the water-scarce area.

Farmers, landowners and residents of the Karoo have come out against Shell and other companies’ plans to extract shale gas in the area, citing the negative environmental effects of fracking . read more

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Shell ‘disappointed’ by ruling on fracking ads

Advertising Standards Authority orders the multinational to withdraw “unsubstantiated” and “misleading” claims it made in a series of full-page print advertisements

SUE BLAINE: Published: 2011/07/07 07:13:09 AM: Photo: Reuters

PRO-FRACKING advertisements Shell SA placed in national newspapers were a technical statement of its opinions on the gas extraction technique to promote public understanding of the implications of shale gas exploration in SA, Shell SA chairman Bonang Mohale said yesterday.

Mr Mohale was speaking after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ordered the multinational to withdraw “unsubstantiated” and “misleading” claims it made in a series of full-page print advertisements about its aim to use the controversial gas extraction technique in a 90000km² area of the unique Karoo biome. read more

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Shell shock: Energy giant censured for ‘fracking’ ads

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – Jul 06 2011 20:00
Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell was ordered on Wednesday to withdraw claims about controversial shale gas drilling in an advertisement carried in several South African newspapers.

Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell was ordered on Wednesday to withdraw claims about controversial shale gas drilling in an advertisement carried in several South African newspapers.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the company had made claims that were unsubstantiated and likely to mislead, in a complaint brought by a lobby group that is fighting a bid by Shell to explore for gas deposits.

Shell wants to drill using hydraulic fracturing known as “fracking” in the country’s vast central Karoo region and published a full-page print advertisement in several daily and weeklies in April. read more

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Shell adverts being investigated

June 1 2011 at 04:15pm

The Advertising Standards Authority is investigating whether Royal-Dutch Shell advertisements about hydraulic fracturing are misleading and untruthful, the Treasure Karoo Action Group (TKAG) said on Wednesday.

Shell had run the full-page advertisements in national weekly newspapers and had distributed flyers at its service stations, TKAG national co-ordinator Jonathan Deal said in a statement.

This, after the Cabinet declared a moratorium on all applications for licences to conduct hydraulic fracturing in the exploration of shale gas reserves in the Karoo. read more

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Shell’s Karoo-born man steers clear of shale gas rumpus

Sunday Times

May 29, 2011 3:08 AM | By ANTON FERREIRA

One of Colesberg’s most successful sons, who went from a sheep farm childhood to becoming vice president of a leading multinational, is trying to keep a low profile in the controversy over plans to look for shale gas in the Karoo.

That’s because the company De la Rey Venter works for in the Netherlands is Royal Dutch Shell, one of the companies that want to “frack” his former backyard.

Venter, a former head boy at Colesberg High School, has had a meteoric career since obtaining a BCom at the University of Johannesburg in 1997. He worked for Samancor, then BHP Billiton. In 2002 he joined Shell.

On a website advertising the school at which he obtained his MBA, Venter said he had chosen his career at Shell because he was “fascinated by the intrigues of geo-politics and by the global energy and environmental debates”. read more

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Shell cites history to allay Karoo fears

May 3 2011 at 07:01pm

Shell Oil Company, which has decades of experience in natural gas development in Alberta, Canada and in Texas, US, believes the procedure of drilling wells and using millions of gallons of water to extract shale gas in the karoo can be done without significant environmental damage.

It is also looking at, and piloting, other technology applications, including tight and shale gas fracturing which do not use water. One option is the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This effectively uses gas to extract gas. read more

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Karoo group files charge over fracking ad

Complaint over a Shell advert which tries to allay public fears about its fracking exploration technique

CHANTELLE BENJAMIN: Published: 2011/04/29 06:40:25 AM

A GROUP of Karoo residents has accused oil company Royal Dutch Shell of being “untruthful and misleading” and has lodged a complaint over an advert which tries to allay public fears about its fracking exploration technique .

The complaint by specialist energy attorneys Havemann Inc on behalf of Treasure the Karoo Action Group is over an advert in the Sunday Times and the Cape Times this month headed “Dialogue on the Karoo”, which they allege aims to mislead readers. read more

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Gas Wars: Rise of the Anti-Frackers

By Julienne du Toit

South African anti-fracking groups had an extra Easter egg in their baskets this week when the government announced a moratorium on Big Energy plans to prospect for gas in the Karoo, the country’s semi-desert heartland.

What? People Power takes on a tag team of fuel giants and local politicians and wins the 1st round of the southern African Gas Wars? Can it be?

Damn straight. Life retains its ability to surprise and delight.

I came across an article recently with the headline: “5 Reasons to Be Hopeful We Haven’t Totally Screwed Ourselves and the Planet … Yet”. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell’s Karoo fracking plans ended

South Africa Endorses Plans For Karoo Gas-Drill Freeze, Ending Shell Hopes

By Robert Brand – Apr 21, 2011 2:31 PM GMT+0100

South Africa’s Cabinet endorsed the Department of Mineral Resources’ decision to declare a moratorium on natural-gas drilling in the Karoo region, halting plans by Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), Europe’s largest oil company.

The department will lead an investigation into the implications of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, that will include assessing the environmental effects, government spokesman Jimmy Manyi told reporters in Pretoria today. read more

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Farmers say ‘no fracking way’ to Shell

FIONA MACLEOD Apr 15 2011 10:58

Shell’s plans to drill wells for natural gas across a large swathe of the Karoo are fatally flawed and should be rejected, according to lawyers representing local landowners.

Derek Light Attorneys criticised Shell’s environmental management plan submitted to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (Pasa) this week, describing it as “a worthless paper exercise” that was misleading, biased, unprocedural and unconstitutional.

The attorneys also represent AgriSA and business tycoon Johann Rupert, who owns a farm in the Karoo. The area is the world’s largest mohair producer and has wool, red meat and ecotourism sectors. read more

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SHELL’S CONTROVERSIAL FRACKING PLANS FOR SOUTH AFRICA

The Karoo National Park in South Africa

By John Donovan

The first three draft EMP documents below have been compiled by Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd (Golder), a so called “independent” environmental consultant, retained and paid by Shell.

The documents are part of Royal Dutch Shell’s application to explore the Karoo basin in South Africa for shale gas using the controversial hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technique.

The remaining document is a critical review prepared by Havemann Inc., specialist energy attorneys.
read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell’s S. Africa Shale Plan Should Be Halted, Lawyers Say

April 6 (Bloomberg) — Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s application to start shale-gas exploration in South Africa’s Karoo region should be terminated because it lacks sufficient information for regulators to assess it properly, Havemann Inc. attorneys said.

Shell, planning to drill about 24 wells in an area of about 90,000 square kilometers (34,749 square miles), faces opposition to its proposed hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, in the sheep and game farming region, an arid stretch across northwest South Africa, from the Treasure the Karoo Action Group, which has 3,000 supporters and commissioned Havemann to compile the report. read more

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STANDING UP TO GOLIATH: Opposition to Shell’s gas exploration in South Africa

STANDING UP TO GOLIATH”: The People of the Karoo in South Africa oppose Shell’s gas exploration by Lewis Pugh

Lewis Pugh, a lawyer, and an environmentalist that uses swimming to raise awareness on the impact of climate change

I want to take you back to the early 1990’s in this country. You may remember them well.  Nelson Mandela had been released.  There was euphoria in the air.  However, there was also widespread violence and deep fear. This country teetered on the brink of a civil war.  But somehow, somehow, we averted it.  It was a miracle! And it happened because we had incredible leaders.  Leaders who sought calm. Leaders who had vision.  So in spite of all the violence, they sat down and negotiated a New Constitution. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Karoo residents to block shale-gas bid

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – Mar 21 2011 11:19

A group of Karoo residents and farmers intend to oppose Shell South Africa’s bid to explore for shale gas in the Karoo, Beeld reported on Monday.

Derek Light, a lawyer representing about 200 people against gas exploration in the Karoo, on Saturday told a public meeting that the process Shell and its consultants, Golder Associates, had been following was unlawful.

He was speaking at a public gathering in Middelburg, in the Eastern Cape, called by Shell to discuss its proposed environmental management plan for exploration of 95 000 square kilometres in the Karoo. read more

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Karoo Fracking: Internal Shell communication

Shell SA Country Chairman and CEO Bonang Mohale’s internal communications message to his staff.

“Dear colleagues,

It is widely recognised that natural gas has a critical and positive role to play in meeting South Africa’s and the world’s growing demand for energy.

If successfully developed, natural gas could help to provide the country with a stable, alternative energy source for power generation that is 40% more energy-efficient and emits 50-70% less CO2 than coal.

During a recent first round of public consultations for our proposed Karoo gas exploration project, interested and affected parties were invited to submit comments, questions and concerns to the independent environmental consultant Golder Associates. read more

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Pandor denies meeting Shell over Karoo gas exploration

Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System
Date: 08 Mar 2011
Title: Pandor denies meeting Shell over Karoo gas exploration
——————–

By Nthambeleni Gabara

Pretoria – Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor has denied meeting with Shell South Africa vice President Bonang Mohale to discuss Shell’s proposed gas exploration in the Karoo.

Last week a media article claimed that the Chairperson and Vice President of Shell South Africa had said that “Shell was in regular communication with Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor”. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell takes gung-ho stance on Karoo fracking outrage

Royal Dutch Shell, a global corporation the size of a small nation, is facing a growing outcry against its plans to conduct hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo. Still, it took on a  “frack now, deal with any fallout as it happens” stance at a press conference on Thursday. And although compensation promises were made, it is nothing you can take to the bank. By SIPHO HLONGWANE

Royal Dutch Shell went to some effort to make the process of hydraulic fracturing seem rather harmless to a roomful of journalists, with a friendly PowerPoint presentation, full of bullet points and video that explained the process. The process of fracking has received an avalanche of bad press in the US, leading to precautionary banning in some states, and now Shell wants to take the controversial process of mining unconventional gas to the Karoo.

Bonang Mohale, chairman of Shell Oil Product Africa, and Graham Tiley, general manager of New Venture Executions at Shell are hosting press conferences in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg in an effort to allay fears about the process. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell searching for natural gas in South Africa

By DONNA BRYSON: JOHANNESBURG

Shell wants to use thirsty technology that could contaminate groundwater to extract natural gas from a semi-desert region of South Africa, but officials from the international energy giant said Thursday that people living in the area won’t be left dry.

The proposal is only in its early stages, but has drawn such opposition — including threats of a lawsuit — that top Shell officials sat down with reporters in South Africa to try to offer reassurance. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Royal Dutch Shell fracking controversy

COMMENT BY AN OUTSPOKEN FORMER EMPLOYEE OF SHELL OIL USA

Reference the articles on the South African Karoo region shale gas production controversy, I have to side with Royal Dutch Shell, et al, on this issue.

I could write you a commentary on the hydraulic fracturing (‘frac’ing’) process and what it does, but it would be somewhat technical so I think I will let it slide.

Very briefly, ‘frac’ing’ is a very common technique used for stimulating production rates from both oil and gas reservoirs. There are two types of hydraulic ‘frac’ing’: acid frac’ing which is very common and done mostly in carbonate reservoirs, and sand or propant frac’ing which is also common and done in sandstone or shale reservoirs. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil giant Shell’s shale gas plans stir controversy

By Justine Gerardy (AFP) 8 February 2011

CAPE TOWN — Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell is targeting potential untapped shale gas reserves in coal-hungry South Africa where landowners – including a Dutch princess – are readying for a showdown.

Shell applied in December to explore 90,000 square kilometres — twice the size of Denmark — for gas deposits in the clay-like shale rock of the arid central Karoo.

“The shale gas potential is quite high, because there is a high volume of shale and therefore the potential for gas development is very big,” said Jenny Marot of the state’s Petroleum Agency SA (PASA). read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Royal Dutch Shell really wants to frack up the Karoo

THE DAILY MAVERICK

Several oil companies hope to prospect the Karoo for natural gas using suspect methodologies which have farmers and townsfolk alike up in arms. The latest developments suggest the department of minerals is willing to put the prospecting process on hold – a concession that is nowhere near enough to placate the growing numbers of people opposed to Karoo fracking. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

Royal Dutch Shell is seeking to prospect a total area of almost 100,000km²  made up of three segments of about 30,000km² of the in the ancient Karoo Basin in a bid to locate and extract shale gas via a method known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Other companies are also seeking to prospect massive swathes of Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. Sasol wants to prospect more than 80,000km², mostly in Free State. Anglo American, Falcon Oil and Gas, and Bundu Gas and Oil Exploration have applied for prospecting rights to the Petroleum Agency South Africa. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.