Panoro 2B Limited EIA for Exploration Right (ER) in the Free State (EA reference 12/3/376, ER reference ER376)

Panoro 2B Limited (Panoro) has lodged an application for an Exploration Right with the Petroleum Agency South Africa (PASA), on behalf of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), in terms of Section 79 of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (No. 28 of 2002) (MPRDA) (Reference 12/3/376). The exploration area includes 662 properties over an area of ~ 1 427 km2 located in the north-eastern Free State, between Heilbron to the south, Koppies to the west, Deneysville to the north-east and Sasolburg to the north. The proposed 3-year exploration work programme builds upon previous desktop studies conducted as part of Panoro’s previous Technical Cooperation Permit (TCP 218).

The primary objective is to gather an enhanced dataset to support future exploration activities and will involve identifying and assessing existing boreholes in the ER area to confirm borehole condition, presence of gas, and, where possible, selected boreholes may be re-entered to obtain gas samples and conduct geophysical logging operations. Panoro will require access to only a limited number of farms subject to agreed terms with landowners. No new borehole or test wells will be drilled. No hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) is proposed. An aerial geophysical survey will also be conducted to obtain high-resolution gravity gradiometry and magnetic data.

As per Section 79(4) of the MPRDA, Panoro must submit an Application for Environmental Authorisation and undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in terms of Chapter 5 of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) and the EIA Regulations, 2014 (GN. R 982 of 2014).

Notice is hereby given of the following application:

• Legislation: National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (No. 107 of 1998).
• Authorisation and process: Environmental Authorisation for activity 18 in listing Notice 2 (GNR 984), for which a scoping and EIA process will be undertaken in terms of the EIA Regulations 2014.
• Competent Authority: PASA on behalf of the DMRE (Ref: 12/3/376 ER).

SLR Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SLR), an independent firm of Environmental Assessment Practitioners, has been appointed by Panoro to manage the environmental authorisation processes.

Status

Our previous correspondence of 22 July 2024 regarding the above-mentioned project has reference. This letter provides information on the availability for comment of the updated Environmental Impact Assessment Report prepared for the proposed exploration in ER 376.

To accommodate comments raised by I&APs during the initial comment period, SLR has opted to proceed in terms of Regulation 23 (1)(b).

Notice is hereby given, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act 107 of 1998), that the updated Draft EIA Report prepared for the proposed project has been made available for a further 30-day public review and comment period from 6 September 2024 to 7 October 2024.