There’s gas in them thar hills

The Dannhauser area might be ground zero for underground methane mining.

Solomon Lepotho, speaking on behalf of the Gauteng-based Sungu Sungu group confirmed an application had been submitted for exploratory rights to prospect for gas.

The proposed area is 7000 Hectares, west of Dannhauser.

Explaining the intentions of Sungu Sungu, Mr Lepotho said it hoped to undertaken conventional drilling in areas where boreholes had existed previously.

The intended sites are farm Ruston 9102 and the Sewango dome respectively.

Mr Lepotho said the consultation, scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment studies would be completed first, in the aim of securing a licence to prospect.

“Once the licence is granted, we would like to twin historical, conventional core boreholes, drilling adjacent to these, and do an analysis of the results to verify the historical work done.”

These borehole reports were conducted in 1955 and 1965 respectively, as part of a geological survey under the banner of the Council for Geoscience.

Responding to news reports, Mr Lepotho said the company was being painted in bad light. “The report will determine the presence of methane gas.

“We have never confirmed ‘fracking‘ will take place.”

Fracking, a process involving the fracturing of rock to extract natural gas, by injecting chemicals, water and soil into the ground, is a hugely debated process.Mr Lepotho denied this would be the case locally.

“Our idea is to drill in the same areas targeted historically.”

Although the date for objections from stakeholders had passed, Mr Lepotho stated when working in the public domain, anyone was allowed to engage with the company or Jomela Environmental Consulting, running part of the process on Sungu Sungu’s behalf.

“All information is publicly known, they can ask for all documentation.”

The subject of fracking and the prospecting for resources in the greater Newcastle area became a hot topic last year, when multiple companies began viability studies. Residents can contact Jomela on environment@jomela.co.za or yvonne@jomela.co.za