South Africa inches towards shale exploration in the Karoo basin
Large reserves in the Karoo basin are bringing upstream interest, but many barriers stand in the way of production
The South African government expects to issue exploration permits for shale-gas reserves in the first quarter of 2014 once regulations on exploration and hydraulic fracturing are approved. The government has been enthusiastic about the prospects of shale gas despite the obstacles to exploring and exploiting the remote and environmentally sensitive Karoo Basin. In October 2013, Susan Shabangu, the minister for mineral resources, signalled South Africa’s determination to pursue exploration of its unconventional resource. “Not only does the potential of shale-gas exploration and exploitation provide an opportunity for us to begin production of our own fuel, but it also marks the beginning of th
Also in this section
20 February 2026
The country is pushing to increase production and expand key projects despite challenges including OPEC+ discipline and the limitations of its export infrastructure
20 February 2026
Europe has transformed into a global LNG demand powerhouse over the last few years, with the fuel continuing to play a key role in safeguarding the continent’s energy security, Carsten Poppinga, chief commercial officer at Uniper, tells Petroleum Economist
20 February 2026
Sempra Infrastructure’s vice president for marketing and commercial development, Carlos de la Vega, outlines progress across the company’s US Gulf Coast and Mexico Pacific Coast LNG portfolio, including construction at Port Arthur LNG, continued strong performance at Cameron LNG and development of ECA LNG
19 February 2026
US LNG exporter Cheniere Energy has grown its business rapidly since exporting its first cargo a decade ago. But Chief Commercial Officer Anatol Feygin tells Petroleum Economist that, as in the past, the company’s future expansion plans are anchored by high levels of contracted offtake, supporting predictable returns on investment
