South Africa: Pasa begins processing shale gas applications

In a move hailed by one oil industry executive as a “major milestone”, Petroleum Agency South Africa (Pasa) has begun processing shale gas applications received before the government imposed a licensing moratorium in February 2011. The applications relate to Chevron and Falcon Oil and Gas’ joint venture, Shell South Africa Upstream, and Challenger Energy’s Bundu Oil and Gas Exploration. A moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) remains in place, however, and processing the applications could take up to eight months. The regulations governing the shale industry have still to be published, despite the gazetting of technical regulations in October 2013.