BUNDU starts stakeholder consultation on shale gas exploration

Unconventional gas explorer, Challenger Energy has announced that its subsidiary Bundu Gas and Oil Exploration has reviewed and revised its Environmental Management Programme (EMPr).
Challenger said in a statement today that the EMPr had originally been submitted to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) in 2010 “in support of its application for a shale gas exploration right in the Karoo Basin”.

Challenger said an independent environmental consultancy had been appointed by Bundu which would update the EMPr and had started the process of “notifying and consulting with interested and affected parties in respect of the revised document,” adding that the revised EMPr and reports of the record of public consultation and results of this “are to be submitted to PASA by February 27, 2015”.
Challenger said pending the promulgation of the new Technical Regulations on Petroleum Exploration and Exploitation, the revised EMPr “describes a revised work programme that includes only seismic studies and drilling”.

In addition, the revised work programme involves “the assessment of positive and negative impacts associated with these activities and proposes mitigation measures to manage potential negative impacts”.

Challenger Managing Director Robert Willes said this morning that the company welcomed the opportunity to move the application process forward, adding that it looked foe4ard “to engaging with local communities and stakeholders”.

The EMPR will be available for public review from Monday, December 8 and open for public comment until Monday February 16.

Bundu is one of three companies wanting to explore for shale gas in the Karoo, that have applied to PASA for exploration rights, the others being Shell and Falcon Oil in partnership with Chevron, with Cranemere being one of Bundu’s areas of focus.

Article published from Metro Minutes by Patrick Cull.