Company hopes to strike it rich
Register as an interested and affected party by tomorrow (Friday).
THE 21-day comment period regarding a background information document prepared as part of an application to search for gas and oil off the KwaZulu-Natal shore, between Margate and Kosi Bay, closes tomorrow (Friday).
The company, CGG Services SA, has applied to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) for a reconnaissance permit for a number of offshore licence blocks. CGG is proposing to conduct a three-to four-month speculative two-dimensional seismic survey off the east coast of South Africa, starting in mid-March next year. The company has already conducted a seismic study along the east coast and, based on the results, is proposing this second survey to cover infill lines within the surveyed area.
In terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, the company must obtain a reconnaissance permit before beginning the survey. A requirenment for the permit is that an environmental management plan must be compiled and must be approved by PASA.
A background information document has been prepared by CCA Environmental and was made available for comment for a period of 21 days, on September 5.
According to the document, offshore seismic surveys are carried out during gas and oil exploration to investigate sub-sea geological formations. Low frequency sounds are directed towards the sea bed from seismic vessels. Signals reflected from geological interfaces below the sea bed are recorded by multiple receivers towed by the vessel.
The permit application is for an area of approximately 80 000 square kilometres and the proposed survey would be up to 5 000km in length. It would be undertaken at water depths of between 500m and 2 500m, at least 25km from the coast.
Under the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and the Marine Traffic Act other vessels will not be allowed into the statutory 500m safety zone surrounding the seismic vessel.
Two specialist studies will be needed to be done to address two key issues, the effects of the survey on marine fauna, focusing particularly on marine mammals and turtles, and the effects on the fishing industry. It will also address mitigation measures to be taken.
If you or your company wishes to register as an interested and affected party or if you wish to comment on the background information document, go to the website www.ccaenvironmental.co.za and complete the attached registration and comment form. Forward it to Eloise Costandius of CCA, PO Box 10145, Caledon Square, 7905, Cape Town or contact her at 021 461 1118/9 or fax the form to her at 021 461 1120 or email it to her at eloise@ccaenvironmental.co.za. The form must reach CCA by tomorrow (Friday).
