Farmers and others see 'fracking' as threat to thirsty South Africa land

KAROO, South Africa -- 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.

Even so, Shell and several other large energy companies hope to drill thousands of natural gas wells in the region, using a new drilling technology that can require 1 million gallons of water or more for each well. Companies will also have to find a way to dispose of all the toxic wastewater or sludge that each well produces, since the closest landfill or industrial-waste facility that can handle the waste is hundreds of miles away.

"Around here, the rain comes on legs," said Chris Hayward, 51, a brawny, dust-covered farmer in Beaufort West, quoting a Karoo saying about how rare and fleeting precipitation is in the area.

With his three skinny border collies crouching dutifully at his side, Mr. Hayward explained that he had to slaughter more than 600 of his 2,000 sheep last year because there was not enough water to go around. "If our government lets these companies touch even a drop of our water," he said, "we're ruined."

South Africa is among the growing number of countries that want to unlock previously inaccessible natural gas reserves trapped in shale, deep underground. The drilling technology -- hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," for short -- holds the promise of generating new revenue through taxes on the gas, creating thousands of jobs for one of the country's poorest regions, and fueling power plants to provide electricity to roughly 10 million South Africans who live without it.

But many sites here and on other continents being considered for drilling by oil and gas companies and by governments short of cash are in fragile areas where local officials have limited resources, political leverage or experience to ensure that the drilling is done safely.

Michael Klare, a Hampshire College professor of world security studies, said new natural gas sources from shale may lessen the geopolitical importance of nations that historically have been top gas producers, including Iran, Qatar and Russia.

The new drilling, which draws strong support from the United States government, represents a boon for U.S. companies such as Halliburton, Chesapeake Energy and ExxonMobil that have greater experience with shale gas, and therefore are likely to win many lucrative contracts abroad.

More than 30 nations, including China, India and Pakistan, are now considering fracking for natural gas or oil. The gas production surge has spurred interest in building pipelines and terminals that liquefy the fuel, so it can be shipped to far-flung markets.

"The big problem is that all the excitement around shale gas -- most of it fostered by the U.S. -- has also led some countries, especially in the developing world, to take a drill-first, figure-out-regulations-later attitude," said Mr. Klare, who has written extensively about the way energy policies affect global security.

In the United States, where the water-intensive drilling technique of fracking was invented, the government is taking a lead role in supporting dissemination of the technology abroad. Over the last three years, President Barack Obama has promoted shale gas during visits to China, India and Poland.

The U.S. Geological Survey has offered training and technology to geologists exploring shale gas in Europe. The State Department's Global Shale Gas Initiative, begun in 2010, has been advising many foreign countries on fracking. It has organized a half-dozen trips this year for foreign officials to meet with U.S. energy experts and visit U.S. drilling sites.

Some economists and environmentalists say that while governments of poorer countries may benefit from new tax revenues and jobs, they may not be paying enough attention to environmental risks of drilling. They also note that local residents -- who bear the brunt of air pollution, potential water contamination from spills or underground seepage, and truck traffic tied with drilling -- may see few benefits.

First published on December 31, 2011 at 12:00 am

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11365/1200518-82.stm?cmpid=nationworld.xml

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