ReconAfrica accused of ‘piecemealing’ EIA

ELLANIE SMIT WINDHOEK A public meeting in Windhoek about ReconAfrica’s oil and drill exploration plans in the Kavango Region turned heated quite quickly yesterday when representatives of the company were questioned about their defensive tone.While experts, conservationists and members of the public wanted clarity about whether the company will embark on any fracking, ReconAfrica representatives seemingly sent mixed messages.Matt Toten, a former exploration operation geologist for BP, said he had serious concerns about ReconAfrica’s plans, adding that it is clear that the company was initially planning to use unconventional oil resource play.The company has very little data available to support their shift to conventional oil as all the data previously gained was in support of unconventional oil, he said.“Now you are telling Namibians it is only conventional oil you are interested in.”Claire Preece - in charge of environmental, social, and corporate governance as well as corporate communications at ReconAfrica - insisted that the presentation makes it clear they are targeting conventional oil and that no fracking will be done.Toten, however, said ReconAfrica changed its entire proposed oil play before drilling was done and yet still has the same rock samples as before.“You are piecemealing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA),” he said.‘Super defensive’“You two are being super defensive when questions are asked. You are doing nothing to alleviate the concerns of fracking.“You have changed the story of fracking and people have questions. Namibians are proud of the environment and want answers,” another attendee - who has been in the oil and gas exploration industry for 42 years - said.Meanwhile, when questioned about information included in the draft scoping Environmental Impact Study to support the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC), Preece said the meeting was not an information-sharing session, but a regulatory consultation about its proposed 450km 2D seismic operations.The seismic EIA is now in progress and being conducted by Dr Sindila Mwiya of Risk Based Solutions.A ways awayMwiya explained that an exploration programme is implemented in order to validate a developed theoretical hydrocarbon model and generate enough high-quality data that can de-risk the financial exposure to the investors funding the project.Several steps are involved, of which each requires separate processes inclusive of stakeholder consultations to get ECCs, he said.If oil or gas is discovered, appraisal well drilling operations may be undertaken to test the size and economics of the field, he explained.“It is during the EIA for the commercially discovered oil or gas that possible production from either a conventional reservoir or unconventional reservoir that fracking may be discussed - if applicable.”

ReconAfrica accused of ‘piecemealing’ EIA

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-12

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ReconAfrica accused of ‘piecemealing’ EIA

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-12

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