Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has emphasized the huge economic benefits of oil and gas exploration for the country.
Mantashe was addressing industry bigwigs on the second day of the energy conference, Enlit Africa, in Cape Town on Wednesday.
“People can take us to court as many times as they can, we will continue with gas and petroleum exploration.”
Minister Mantashe emphasized that despite the government being dragged to court, they would go ahead with oil and gas exploration.
“We’re battling with the exploration of gas and oil, we stay in court, it’s one process we’re prepared to engage. We’re going to endure… people can take us to court as many times as they can.”
Mantashe added that a moratorium on the exploration of shale gas would also be lifted.
The minister said that the government had conducted that that confirmed shale gas exploration would be economically viable.
“We’ll allow not only Shell, we’ll allow anybody who wants to do exploration on shale gas to come and conduct an exploration on shale, and our submission is that it is economically viable, you can use that gas economically to develop capacity of the state to supply energy.”
The minister also emphasised the cost-effectiveness of nuclear energy, saying the government would issue a request for proposals for the procurement of 2500MW for this energy source.
-EWN
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