Kalahari Energy, one of the companies that was given a prospecting license for gas exploration, is likely to face penalties for being involved in fracking while exploration for gas. This comes after government denied reports that there were fracking activities in Central Kalahari Game Reserve and other parts of the country. Minister of Minerals, Water and Resources, Kitso Mokaila confirmed this week that the company has since been questioned about fracking activities. He said that they are likely to take action against a company which was engaged in fracking activities in Mmashoro area.
“We just became aware that there were such activities lately after reports surfaced. We have since warned them because they are the only ones who have machines that are suspected to have been used for fracking activities, “said Mokaila. Mokaila said that it was possible that fracking could take place due to lack of monitoring. The Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Tshekedi Khama, however, insists that there is a need to monitor any activities when ever prospecting licence is given to companies to avoid fracking activities in future.
Government had previously denied that fracking was taking place in the country, arguing that licenses were only issued for prospecting. Mokaila said government was not aware that fracking was taking place in the country until recently when news of the method for gas extraction broke. He said government’s concentration has been to follow those in mining than prospecting.
