Journal of Petroleum & Environmental Biotechnology

Shale gas activities in South Africa: The game changer in energy mix

2^nd International Conference and Expo on Oil and Gas

October 27-28, 2016 Rome, Italy

Nandi Malumbazo

Shale Gas Programme, South Africa

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Pet Environ Biotechnol

Abstract:

South Africa is still new to the concept of shale gas and needs to conduct research that will support petroleum exploration and help develop regulations around production. Several Oil and Gas Exploration companies have applied for Shale Gas Exploration licenses onshore, these have not yet been granted. Shale gas exploration in South Africa could be facing two major unknown geological questions: the amount of economically recoverable gas trapped in the Karoo formations and the geo-environmental problems linked to the nature and the structure of the rock, the ground water migration and the micro-seismicity. The Council for Geo-science Shale gas project commenced in the year 2015. The site selected for the project is in Beaufort West Commonage with a farm name Bulskop 143. The objectives of the project will be to collect and review new geological information on the of the Karoo, to define an environmental baseline, to assess the amount of recoverable gas mainly from the White-hill and Prince Albert Formations, to cover various geo-environmental impacts like ground water dynamics with possible contamination, and monitor potential seismic interferences. On completion, the study will have interrogated the whole value chain of exploring shale gas except for the technology associated with it. The Geology has been reviewed using existing historical geological data and unpublished reports, such as the geological maps, regional cross-section and structural interpretation. The Hydrogeology task has reviewed the groundwater quality data using historical data from Department of Water and Sanitation. In addition, hydro-census (borehole auditing) work has been conducted to confirm the water (both surface and ground water) quality of the area and to generate a water quality database of the area to be drilled. The hydro-census activity was followed by collection of water samples for laboratory analysis to generate a baseline data base.

Biography :

Email: nmalumbazo@geoscience.org.za