I Wonder - about fossil fuels

BaldOpinion 11

10 September 2012

 ‘I wonder how many times you’ve been had…’ says Rodriquez.

Sam wondered too.

Rodriquez was not allowed to be ‘in’ the wireless.

A chronic thumb-sucker was our Sam.  Blonde curly hair, knock knees and the always right thumb in the mouth aptly describes the bare footed child on a farm in the wine producing region of Cape Town, Sam.

Too lazy to speak was this Sammy.  Drew attention because of his different look and the always thumb.

In a squeak-like clip of words and baby-like tones the farm women, speaking in yet another dialect of Afrikaans, would say, whilst ruffling Sam’s hair, ‘Argh, so cute man’ and another would say, ‘…what are you going to be when you grow up my boy?’  Removing his thumb briefly to say ‘happy’….   

The dialect of speech differed from one region to another. People spoke the same core language though, Afrikaans. The many versions of Cape Afrikaans are a colourful cacophony of gripping, expressive and humorous language. For Sam it is the language of his nostalgia.

Farm workers of the Western Cape have over the past three hundred and fifty years developed habits, inadvertent dialects and customs.

Recreation was the wireless/radio.  Football too; across the dirt road on the grass patch, that’s where the children played the beautiful game.  The situate of the makeshift football pitch, there between  arum lily plants on a flat surface before the topography rises up into the Hottentots-Holland mountain range, that’s where the children played the beautiful game. That is where Sammy tuned his rhythm with the round ball – often a plastic bag stuffed with paper; but his incredible knowledge of music, that is derived from loneliness where the radio and a thumb were ample substitute for friends. You cannot miss an experience if you’ve never had it.

Sammy’s mother cooked the family meals on an enamel coated green and cream coloured stove, Dover.  It was a coal burning stove. They used wood instead. Hence, there always was a lingering smoky smell in the white-walled house nestled under that old grass roof, gables protruding on either side - worse was the smell of burnt wood during winter and on windy days, particularly because the worn stable-styled kitchen door remained closed.

The use of a gas cooker was too dangerous, ‘… the gas tank can explode you know!’  There are several instances to fuel this fear.  For quick and cheaper cooking pumping paraffin in the base of the little primus stove and then lighting the wick with methylated spirits remains the preferred alternative. Dangerous too ….

Most fires in informal settlements and townships are caused by paraffin.  There are many more instances, but the aunties on the farms, in the townships and informal settlements continue to proclaim that ‘gas is the most dangerous, because it explodes!’ ….

Years ago I had reason to be shown around the Red Cross Children’s’ Hospital, Mowbray, Cape Town – a lesson in humility. We have too much to be thankful for.

During the late 1960’s an embargo was placed on the supply of crude oil by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Alternative combustion fuels were sought. 

With the experienced energy shortages the precautionary storage facility situated on the South African west coast and elsewhere proved inefficient.  Own oil reserves were sought. The State created a company that uses soot derived from burning coal to manufacture oil (SASOL).

Methane gas reserves were located beneath the sea surface off the Southern Cape Coastal town of Mossel Bay (MOSGAS). 

Australia too was affected by the oil embargo. They found sustainable gas reserves inland near the Western Australia city, Kalgoorlie – the Johannesburg of Australia. 

Natural gas became a combustion fuel in Australia.  It is distributed ‘Australia wide’ is the turn of phrase used, but also to Malaysia and other countries who chose to embrace a cleaner and cheaper burning energy source.  

To encourage fossil gas usage incentives were created to encourage the use of gas. Today 23% of the world's energy requirement is derived from gas. 

Octane fuels derived from crude oil release toxic pollutants into the atmosphere during the refining process and again when it is combusted. 

The South African Oil industry is regulated. The State determines fuel prices and any changes are not legal.  This is how it has always been. Higher fuel prices result in higher fuel levies being paid to the State.

South African socio, political and economic issues are no different to the same in European, American and other African countries.  Like most countries, we too have challenges that are unique.  Often what is wrong derives from different self-imposed socio-political and economic policies that we practice.

‘… So, how did Apartheid affect you, Sam?’ 

‘No…, apartheid, (he said questioningly whilst pausing to think) I was not aware of how apartheid was affecting me.  It felt like normal to live like we did. I had the radio and my thumb. 

I knew what poverty felt like. When my tummy grumbled at night and I wished that sleep would replace it.

No matter…, today apartheid is replaced by affirmative action. The poorest of the poor do not know how this is advancement.

The South African education system is rated in position number 133 out of 142 countries measured by the World Economic Forum. (August 2012)

The poor continue to know poverty, what poverty feels like and that more people are becoming poor;

The poor also know that no respite is looming;’

There is a current issue about whether or not to release natural gas reserves located in the Karoo.  The question about whether to extract or not to extract this fossil fuel is concomitant with the vigorous and sometimes vitriolic toing and froing of whether to, or whether not to….

‘What is the environmental impact when hundreds and later, thousands of well pads are constructed in the Karoo?’

The Chairman of Shell (SA), Bonang Mohale, refers to new drilling methods, environmental impact assessments and job creation in defense of why gas should be extracted from its Karoo bed.

Lest we forget, the same Royal Dutch Shell plc, and the Ogoni People of South Eastern Nigeria, via their organisation, MOSOP, fought bitterly about the environmental damage Shell visited upon the now perilous, but previously sustainable Niger Delta region.  Oil spillage and no regard for the environment is why the Niger Delta became unsustainable.  Oil spilled due to negligent drilling processes fuel by greed.

Lest we forget, the Ogoni people, MOSOP, the writer and MOSOP Leader, environmental activist, Ken Saro-wiwa and eight others who were executed because of their stance against Shell’s exploitation, corruption and resultant devastation – 10 November, 1995.

Has the Niger Delta been restored; is it sustainable again and what sayest the Ogoni People?   

Will Shell and other companies have learned, or is the learning limited to more sophisticated means of exploitation?

•              Why has Shell not brought LP Gas to the forecourts in South Africa;

•              Why does Shell, Exxon, Total and BP make gas available on the forecourts in other countries, but not in South Africa;

•              Is it an okay excuse that LP and LN Gas is too expensive for it to be brought to the forecourt and sold as a cleaner burning combustion fuel;

o   But it is in order to permanently affect, alter/damage potable water and an icon region belonging to the world, the Karoo?

Increasing costs of refined crude oils is a norm.

Increasing unemployment in South Africa is also a norm.

The traditional band of people who are class defined - the poorest of the poor is expanding. 

Those in power eat with abandon, but;

The term ‘load-shed’ refers to an act of saving electricity. 

‘…four legs good and; two legs bad’, says Eric A Blair (G. Orwell – Animal Farm), back in 1945

Meanwhile, South Africans remain cautious about the use of gas in their homes. Gas to run cars, buses, trucks and trains remain a fallacy for most. Yet, the practice is a norm in many countries. The conspiracy theorist claim that fear of gas is a norm created by the price regulating cartel, which cartel includes the State. Has the conspiracy theory merit and; what is the State doing, this time, when the oil embargo is more sophisticated?

Given that the price of everything is affected by the rise in cost brought on by our almost exclusive reliance on refined crude oil what is the State doing about preventing the band of poor from expanding?

What is the gas we propose to extract in the Karoo going to be used for?

Creating jobs is not good enough. We should create Sustainable Jobs.

Gas extraction in the Karoo has potential to deliver many benefits for the people of this African region. Sam, now an adult, wants to support fracking in the Karoo. However, like Rodriquez, he wonders:

•              Is it to create sustainable employment

•              Provide cleaner, less expensive fuel to the people of Southern Africa and;

•              Will fracking be environmentally friendly and ethical?

The African sky is awash with sunshine. In many countries people farm with solar energy.  Solar entrepreneurs use what they need and sell/feed the rest to the national electricity supply infrastructure. 

In South Africa, we battle to entice people with ‘pay as you go’ electricity meters; we use television banner advertising to warn that big appliances should be turned off in order to prevent electricity outages.  We refer to this as ’load-shedding’.

In the workplace first we bicker, fuss and then fight.  Thereafter we investigate for acts of bribery in the awarding of contracts.

Senior people are suspended on full salary and service conditions.  After a protracted puerile and posture filled legal tussle the person is frequently found guilty. The matter is settled and the guilty is sent packing together with an excessive severance pay-out.

‘I wonder how many plans have gone bad…’ says Rodriquez