South Africa: Statoil and Sasol apply for shale gas exploration rights

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Note

This latest application follows a successful application by Falcon Oil & Gas in October. (See: Falcon Oil & Gas secures permit to evaluate South African properties). Falcon announced that the Company has secured a Technical Cooperation Permit to evaluate the Karoo Basin in central South Africa. Falcon has up to one year to conduct a technical appraisal of the area covered by the Permit, which will include review of the South African Petroleum Data Base. The Permit does not require Falcon to drill any wells during the one-year appraisal period, and establishes Falcon in a priority position for exercising future exploration rights within the lands covered by the Permit.

The principal focus of the 7.5 million acre Karoo Basin Technical Cooperation Permit, located about 120 miles northeast of Cape Town, South Africa, is gas from fractured shale and sandstone in Permian age rocks. Nine wells have been drilled in the area (late 60's and early 70's) and all have encountered gas shows. One of the wells, drilled in 1968, had an unstimulated flow rate of 1.84 million cubic feet of gas per day from fractures.

For information on other shale-gas opportunities worldwide, including licensing opportunities and farm-ins, visit energy-pedia opportunities, our 'premium content' service.

For further information regarding the petroleum potential of the Karoo Basin, see The Petroleum Potential of South Africa's Onshore Karoo Basins

Source: Engineering News / energy-pedia