JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The University of the Witwatersrand intends introducing a bachelor of science (BSc) degree in oil and gas engineering in anticipation of growing demand for hydrocarbons expertise, as South Africa prepares to firm up its legislative framework for the exploitation of natural gas.

Professor Sunny Iyuke, who took part in a Wits Business School-hosted discussion on Thursday evening at which Minerals Minister Susan Shabangu was the top billing, announced the plans for the introduction of the BSc in oil and gas and spoke of the need for skills coordination with further education and training colleges and other technical institutions to prepare the skills base for South Africa's entry into the exploitation of shale gas.

Department of Mineral Resources chief director mining and mineral policy Andre Andreas, who delivered a speech on behalf of Shabangu, who had to withdraw, said that regulations being drawn up were being benchmarked against those of international jurisdictions, including the US, and that the second chapter of the proposed regulations was devoted entirely to environmental protection.

Sasol's Johan Thyse spoke of the need for regional cooperation in optimising the oil and gas resources of Southern Africa and Dr Rod Crompton of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa urged that regional discussion be ongoing but without slowing down this country's own forward movement.

Strong emphasis was placed on shale gas being a potential replacement of imported energy for South Africa, which needed to do all it could to reduce its current account deficit and improve its balance of payments.

"We now have this wonderful opportunity and this is where we should be piling in all the brain power we can muster," Crompton said, adding that it was crucial that the regulatory framework should be a careful balance of government requirements and investor needs.

"Drilling for oil and gas is very expensive and has a success rate of only one in four so it needs people with very deep pockets," he said, adding that the US's success in shale gas was underpinned by a network of gas pipeline infrastructure, which South Africa would need to take into account in its planning.