No ‘fracking’ pressure from Newcastle

Fears of ‘fracking’ in the Newcastle area are far from bearing fruit.

Most companies involved in this practice have yet to decide if the Northern KwaZulu-Natal area is viable for gas mining sites.

‘Fracking’ or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of injecting a mixture of chemicals at high pressures into the ground, to mine gasses. According to numerous environmental sources, this process has the possibility of damaging an already failing environment.

Newcastle, Wakkerstroom, Memel, Volskrust, Ladysmith and Bergville are just some of the towns around NKZN, which have been earmarked as possible sites for gas mining, but this does not necessarily mean these areas will be subjected to ‘fracking’.

A joint venture between Badimo Gas and Kinetiko has seen the formation of Afro Energy, which is currently in the application process for the rights to search for possible gas mining sites across the country.

Energy Director and Principal Scientist of Synergistics Environmental Services, Matthew Hemming explained it was a major misconception that all gas mining entailed the process of ‘fracking’.

“Afro Energy does not use hydraulic fracturing to access the gasses. Many of the gasses can be mined using other more environmentally friendly processes.”

Afro Energy uses a drilling method to allow the coal bed methane gas to escape and be examined, and this would only be performed once its application to explore the area was approved. He explained Newcastle residents would not feel the effects of this process if it came to pass, as the company would be drilling approximately 15 kilometres from town.

If the exploration and testing of the minerals thereafter turns out to be viable, Afro Energy would use a drilling and water pressure drilling method to mine methane gas. The process of ‘fracking’ would only become necessary in areas were the gasses were highly compacted. According to Mr Hemming, the company would be targeting areas which were considered ‘lower pressure areas’.

Sungu Sungu Group, another mining corporation that has its eyes set on the area, are also investigating the possibilities.

Geophysicist for the group, Solomon Lephoto explained, “We are being allowed to do a study into the area, and see what it may hold.”

He emphasised the group did not have the exploratory permits for the area, and would not be searching or doing any tests at this time.

A concerned Newcastle resident and nature conservationist, Bradley Gibbons shared his thoughts on the matter.

“If ‘fracking’ does come to the area, we will lose out on our very beautiful grassland areas. There are many harmful effects of ‘fracking’; America has tons of these examples,” said Mr Gibbons.

He named some of the issues this process may pose to the environment, such as its effect on the water table, and the possibility of the methane gasses escaping and adding to the atmospheric pollution already plaguing the area.

He explained the risk would be too high to allow these projects to take root, stating simply, “I will not have this in my backyard.”

Although the possibility of ‘fracking’ looms, it will still be some time before the community sees any veritable motion in this regard.