Page 12 - AfrOil Week 48 2021

AfrOil POLICY AfrOil

The Amazon Warrior vessel will conduct the survey (Photo: Shearwater Geoservices)

Shell’s seismic survey plans

spark protests in South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA PUBLIC outrage is mounting in South Africa African public, with an online petition demand-
after energy giant Shell (UK) announced it will ing the government withdraw Shell’s permis-
begin a seismic survey alongside South Africa’s sion for the project drawing more than 300,000
pristine Wild Coast. signatures.
Several protests and boycott actions against On the morning of November 29, local fish-
Shell are underway in the country, after environ- ing communities and environmental groups
mental groups pointed out the hazardous effects were planning further protests against the sur-
the survey will have on marine life in the area. A vey. Meanwhile, local businesses have also lob-
fuel supplier company in the Eastern Cape has bied South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
also announced that it will cut ties with Shell. to intervene.
Scientists have pointed out that fish and other Fuel supplier Express Petroleum, one of
marine creatures, including endangered species, 10 Shell branded distributors in South Africa,
may die when Shearwater GeoServices used a has announced it will cut ties with Shell after
high-powered airgun to blast the sea floor every the negative public opinion, saying that it is
10 seconds. not involved, nor does it support the seismic
The sound waves can reportedly penetrate blasting. It has also said that it intends to drop
more than 1,000 metres into the earth, and the Shell branding from its petrol stations and
many countries across the world have banned vehicles.
the seismic surveys over their negative impact Express Petroleum said in a statement it is
on marine life. “extremely passionate about South Africa and
Shell will conduct its exploration from Mor- cares deeply for the future sustainability for our
gan Bay outside East London in the Eastern pristine coastlines.” It continued: “In response,
Cape to Port St Johns in search of gas and oil we have already been procuring products from
deposits. The survey area is more than 20 km alternative sources and have started debrand-
from the coast at its closest point, with water ing all of our co-branded retail sites, as well as
depths ranging from 700m to 3,000m, and it removing all Shell association from our com-
covers 6,011 square km. pany vehicles and assets.”
The Norwegian company Shearwater Geo- A Shell spokesperson, Pam Ntaka, said in a
Services will conduct a three-dimensional (3D) statement that the survey would be going ahead
offshore seismic survey to map potential depos- despite the resistance. She also noted that Shell
its of oil and gas under the seabed. It will use the has long experience of collecting seismic data,
Amazon Warrior vessel, which arrived in port saying that the welfare of wildlife was a major
last week, to do so. factor in the stringent controls used.
Shell Exploration and Production South Shell follows the international guidelines of
Africa said it anticipated that the seismic sur- the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, she
vey would take four to five months to complete, pointed out. “If this survey was not safe, Shell
depending on weather and current conditions. would not proceed with it based on our deep
The controversial seismic survey has cre- commitment to safety and the environment,”
ated an outpouring of criticism from the South said Ntaka. ™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 48 01•December•2021