The inter-ministerial task team investigating shale gas exploration (also known as fracking) in the Karoo, will present its report to Cabinet "soon", says Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu.

Answering questions before Parliament's portfolio committee on mineral resources on Tuesday, Shabangu refused, however, to be drawn into giving an exact timeline for the long-awaited release of the report.

"Just give us a chance. The report will be sent to cabinet soon and then we will engage with the committee on it," she said.

The formation of the task team was announced in May 2011 shortly after the moratorium on fracking in the Karoo was imposed. The moratorium was extended in August and was then to expire in February and now has been extended until Shabangu decides when to lift it.

"The lifting of the moratorium on exploration will form part of that report," she said.

Three major oil companies have applied for permission to use hydraulic fracking in the Karoo. They are Shell, Bundu Oil & Gas and Falcon Oil & Gas.

Fracking involves the use of up to a million litres of water to fracture the rock into which chemicals are pumped to create a gel that forces the shale gas to flow. The chemical compound makes up 1% of the total volume pumped into the wells.

A report by consultancy Econometrix and commissioned by international oil group Shell said that fracking in the ecologically sensitive Karoo could contribute from R35 billion to R90 billion to government revenue and generate up to 700,000 permanent jobs over two and a half decades.

However, those opposed to fracking have disputed this saying that the findings were untested.

http://www.businesslive.co.za/southafrica/2012/03/13/cabinet-to-get-fracking-report-soon-shabangu