Shale Gas in South Africa: Unrealized Potential.

• Author: Abrahamson, James L.
• Position: Brief article

Shale Gas in South Africa: Unrealized Potential

by STRATFOR

http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/shale-gas-south-africa-unrealized-potential

South Africa presently produces and consumes little natural gas, and environmental concerns about fracking and geologic challenges have impeded exploitation of the country's estimated 13 trillion cubic meters of shale gas. Rather than exploit that potential source of energy, Pretoria favors coal, nuclear power, and renewable energy resources.

Should the South African government change its current policies, many things stand in the way of developing the country's shale gas potential: Complex geologic features such as volcanic intrusions make drilling too expensive for the government to undertake. Though major oil companies nevertheless seem willing to drill, the country's lack of a pipeline infrastructure to transport gas...