The South African government lifted the ban shale gas in Western Desert

September 7, the South African government announced the lifting of the western desert Karoo shale gas ban. Experts assess that  shale gas  reserves in the region is enormous. In 2011, the South African mining techniques in order to investigate shale gas fracking impact on the environment, and ordered to temporarily stop everything related to shale gas exploration and development activities.
In the announcement that the South African government, according to survey results, the removal of ban on shale gas exploration, but also promised to continue public comment. This decision will not only give energy companies to re-Karoo region shale gas resources exploitation rights, but also affirmed that the controversial  hydraulic fracturing  technique.
Royal Dutch Shell has long been on the "forbidden zone" eyeing, according to Shell's forecast, according to the existing level of energy consumption in South Africa, Karoo shale gas available for use in South Africa 400 years.
In May this year, the South African Ministry of Environment has said it will strictly control the scale of Karoo shale gas exploration, and stressed the need to avoid large-scale consumption of freshwater resources Karoo.Fracturing proppant Hydraulic fracturing techniques require extensive use of water, but just very dry Karoo.