Hydraulic Fracturing

Advanced technology has led to a rapid rise in the production of vast resources of natural gas trapped in densely packed rock. In the Karoo, the natural gas is held in shale rock and is known as shale gas.

The widely-used technique of hydraulic fracturing involves the injection of water, sand and other fluids at very high pressure into the rock formation, creating tiny fissures that allow the natural gas to flow.

Hydraulic fracturing has been used safely on 1.1 million wells in the USA alone over more than 60 years. But in recent years, engineers have been able to drill wells horizontally from one site on the surface, reducing the environmental impact of producing this type of natural gas. This has helped lead to a dramatic rise in natural gas production, especially in the USA where it has transformed the energy supply picture.  

The fluids injected into the rock consist of more than 99% water and sand, with a small amount of additives similar to those found in household products.

The US Environmental Protection Agency and other independent environmental experts, including the Ground Water Protection Council, describe fracturing as a safe and proven technique.

Decades of industry experience have led to the development of effective techniques for protecting groundwater supplies. For example, we prevent fracturing fluid from coming into contact with groundwater by lining wells with multiple steel and concrete barriers. The shale gas we produce typically lies over 1,000 metres below underground fresh-water aquifers.