COMMUNITY STRUGGLES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

KC JOURNAL NO 27 JULY 2011

Fracking up the countryside

Angela Conway* argues that fracking is dangerous for the environment and for future generations.

A new debate within the environmental and social agenda is the issue of fracking. The fracking companies have strategically portrayed the issue as a possible solution to unemployment. They have found support within the ruling party that has taken to promoting fracking as a solution to unemployment. Despite the support from some sections of sections of society, there is evidence indicating that fracking has negative consequences fro the environment.

What is fracking?

Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing, a way of breaking up deep underground rock by pumping millions of litres of water, sand and chemicals deep into earth under high pressure. This creates cracks in the rock, releasing methane gas.

Multinational such as Royal Dutch Shell, Falcon Oil & Gas from America, and sunset Energy/ Bundu, from Australia are seeking permission to explore for methane gas in a large area of South Africa stretching across the Karoo ( including the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape) and a large part of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. In addition,a consortium made up of Sasol, America Chesapeak Energy and Statoil ASA applied in frack an area similar in size to Shell’s- about 88 000 sq km. It includes a large portion of KwaZulu-Natal and most of the Free State.

Dangers of fracking

Fracking requires that holes be drilled every few kilometres, so every town and farm is likely to be affected in some way. Each time a well is fracked, about 2,3 million litres of water is used. Shell alone has applied to drill 24 wells. Most of the water and chemicals return to surface contaminated with dangerous radioactive substances. No one knows how this water, which smells like raw sewage mixed with petrol, will be disposed of. The fracking companies refuse to say what chemicals are used in the process but exposure to fracking chemicals has be found to be extremely hazardous. In one case reported on by a US Government watchdog organisation in 2008, a Colorado nurse nearly died of organ failure after being exposed to a worker who had been soaked in fracking liquids. The fact that many of the chemicals used can cause very serious health problems including tumours, deformities in unborn babies, kidney an liver damage, nerve damage, respiratory damage, reproductive damage and beain lesions.

Pollution of water and land

There is a danger that fracking will pollute underground water resources. In the United State of America, where fracking has been pursued for a number of years, there are cases where boreholes have exploded or water has become so polluted and undrinkable that it explodes when a flame is brought near it. Once water is contaminated, it can never be used again not only for drinking but also fro washing clothes ( as the chemicals can be absorbed through the skirt).

Apart from the pollution of water, fracking can contaminate soil and can kill or affect livestock, causing abortions, malformed animals and lowered fertility rates. The chemicals also accumulate in the food chain which fracking could make meat unsafe to eat. It is also believed that fracking causes loss of productivity in the land which will subsequently lead to soil erosion.

Besides the water pollution, fracking requires extensive transportation. Every fracking ‘event’ involves over 1000 trucks trips, to and fro, carrying water and chemicals. This will cut up agricultural land and increase carbon emissions.

The fracking process also has the potential to negatively affect land redistribution and tenure security. From past experience, when agricultural land is converted, it is the farm dwellers who are the first to feel the negative effects of job losses and evictions.

The job creation potential of fracking is a myth. One of Shell’s operations in the US which includes 425 wells, only employs a staff of 66, with most of the work outsourced to specialist companies. Instead of creating jobs, fracking could result in job losses in agriculture and tourism, two of the largest employers in the country.

Southern Cape

There is growing awareness amongst small-scale farmers and farm workers in Karoo about the potential long-term damage which fracking could cause. In Beaufort West, the commercial farmers and small farmers have formed joint forum to monitor fracking. In other places like Graaff Reinet, the divide continues. Given the scarcity of water, the absence of regulation governing exploration and the potential negative impact on the environment, South Africa cannot afford to frack up the land at the expense of future generations.

WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on your website.

Learn more about debugging in WordPress.