Botswana government has started engaging experts and private-sector investors on suitable methods of extracting coal-bed methane (CBM) gas, which could help the minerals-dependent economy to diversify its energy sector.

The Southern African country, which boasts 30-trillion to 40-trillion cubic feet of CBM gas, recently requested experts from the US Bureau of Energy, US Geological Survey, the US Department of Commerce, the US Department of the Interior, the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), the Regional Electricity Regulators Association (RERA), the Colorado School of Mines and the private sector to advise on environment-friendly extraction methods or techniques that can be used in Botswana.

Speaking during a recent engagement workshop, Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources deputy permanent secretary Nchidzi Mmolawa said private investment in CBM prospecting in the country was increasing. “We are planning to facilitate the downstream gas industry with gas-industry-specific legislation that will be put in place after completing the energy policy, which is still being finalised, and the establishment of the Botswana Energy and Water Regulator, which is currently going through the approval process.”

He said the Botswana government was also reviewing the Mines and Minerals Act to ensure that gas mining companies operated to the best international standards.

While the experts did not clearly state the extraction methods suitable for the country, they were quick to point out that developing natural gas, and particularly unconventional gas, was not without its challenges.

“There are financing challenges, not only in terms of attracting sufficient investment to get the resource out of the ground, but also in terms of developing the infrastructure to get the resource to market. And, of course, there are environmental challenges – protecting our water and air, protecting our wildlife and limiting the negative impact on surrounding communities and habitats,” said Domingo Villaronga, political and economic head at the US embassy in Botswana.

“The US has faced all these challenges, and we believe it is our obligation to share our experience with other countries that are considering unconventional gas,” he said, adding that one of the most important lessons the US had learnt was there was a need to establish dialogue between governments, industry and communities.