FOCUS Smart mobility
FOCUS Smart mobility solutions Gas can boost the national economy and start the country operations in Gauteng. on the path to zero emissions The CSIR is helping find solutions for transport systems and CSIR research group leader for transport infrastructure management, Dr Phindile Masangane, the CEO of Petroleum Agency Khangwelo Muronga, says his team helps enable South Africa to migrate to South Africa, notes that recent gas discoveries could swifter, more efficient and smarter mobility. support the country’s economic recovery and its transition to a clean energy future. modes of transportation, especially the minibus 1% taxis to that global transport emissions. about This 80% is of by the no public. measure insignificant, and as a responsible global citizen SA must Transport take steps infrastructure to reduce its carbon footprint. Almost The UN everyone Framework uses Convention roads and bridges on Climate on a Change regular was basis, established making them in 1992 the to most coordinate significant the global transportation response to medium mitigate the in emerging threat of climate nations change, like South and specifically Africa. Roads to get are countries crucial for to boosting commit to economic policies and development plans that and will ensure raising that people’s the average standards global of temperature living. Roads rise provide is kept access less than for 1.5°C people above to pre-industrial marketplaces, levels. workplaces, hospitals, clinics, The International educational Energy facilities, Agency sports (IEA) venues, proposes and that holiday to achieve destinations. this goal the The world’s CSIR energy has a sound sector must trackrecord net in zero providing emissions smart-mobility by 2050. In its global solutions energy to Smart transportation requires the reach integration of modern technologies into net assist zero with 2050 road pathway infrastructure the IEA acknowledges management. that Today transportation the biggest infrastructures. threat to humanity These is there Among is no these single solutions pathway to are: this goal, as developed climate include change, cloud and computing, the biggest threat wireless to and • developing The maintenance-reporting countries face different solution socioeconomic communication, SA’s social stability location-based is the high unemployment vision, rate. and more. In Gauteng, the greenhouse • The traffic gas control emissions centre to date. management systems services, challenges • The Struman and have bridge contributed and structures disproportionately solutionto computer CSIR As has the been global collaborating economy recovers with the from Gauteng the What a number of environmental interest devastating Department effects of Roads of Covid-19, and Transport demand to for address oil and groups The seem Gauteng to be ignoring Department in the of IEA Roads “Net Zero and gas road has maintenance gone up significantly. issues. The organisation If there was has ever also a by Transport’s 2050” report Road is the maintenance acknowledgment reporting that system there need developed for proof a system that oil that and allows gas still the drive general the global public will was be created a differentiated the request approach of the to a MEC clean for energy Roads, economy, to report recent potholes statistics and demonstrate traffic lights, the improving trend. future, Transport taking and into Infrastructure, consideration the Honourable cost of the overall The world’s road conditions developed and economies easy of industrialised mobility. on new Jacob clean Mamabolo. energy technologies The CSIR created and the economic a solution the back Smart of oil and mobility gas production encompasses and use. Now, various just as consequences for reporting of on transitioning normal road for maintenance each country. The and Africa interconnected is the cusp of technological being a significant components gas producer IEA construction emphasises that each enables country the must maintenance develop its and is transportation making plans infrastructure. to use such gas This for includes power own teams pathway to provide to a net real-time zero emission updates future. on their generation, gasoline and industrialisation electric vehicles, and economic non-motorised growth, daily South activity, Africa’s this included economy the creation has been of the the mobility negative options effects of such greenhouse as car-sharing gas emissions and on predominantly PotholeFixGP application. powered by coal, which is also a the ride-sharing environment programmes, have become undeniable. and on-demand significant contributor to the country’s economy in ridesharing The urgency services. for action It to also mitigate includes the risk other of terms PotholeFixGP of GDP as well as employment. climate forms of change transportation is no longer like debatable. bicycles, Between scooters, The In CSIR addition created to coal, the PotholeFixGP SA imports oil, application, gas and 1990 autonomous and 2018 vehicles, the top and five trains. emitters The concept have petroleum which can products be downloaded for its energy from the needs appropriate as the produced of smart more mobility than 50% extends of greenhouse to designing gas upstream mobile app petroleum stores to industry supplement is still this at a solution. nascent It emissions. infrastructure During with the dedicated same period lanes SA contributed for specific stage. was designed The two to recent function world-class on Apple offshore and Android gas GAUTENG BUSINESS 2022 2023 26 14
" " Mafikeng " " " " " " Molteno " Klerksdorp " " Welkom " Virginia " " Aliwal North " " Queenstown " " " Kroonstad " " Indwe " " Maseru " " " " Lephalale " " " Elliot " " " Maclear " Modimolle " Bela-Bela " " Bethlehem " Frankfort " " " Evander Umtata " Mokopane " " " " Witbank " " Secunda Standerton " Harrismith " Polokwane " " " Tshipise " " Makhado " " Ermelo Volksrust " " " Newcastle Estcourt " " Musina " Dannhauser " Utrecht " Pietermaritzburg " " Vryheid " Port Shepstone " " " Phalaborwa " Mbabane " Pafuri Nongoma " " " Richards Bay St. Lucia " FOCUS smartphones. The approach makes it possible for the general public to report on traffic lights and potholes on the road system. After reviewing the complaints from the public, the appropriate maintenance teams will then attend to the reported issues and rectify any anomalies either as filling of any reported potholes or traffic lights malfunction. Smart Mobility Solutions System – Struman Renergen The is CSIR currently created the only the onshore structure petroleum management production rights holder in South Africa. The company’s Virginia Gas Project in the Free State is ramping up to phase two, based on one of the richest helium concentrations in the world. discoveries in the Outeniqua basin are the biggest petroleum discoveries made in South Africa. The development of these discoveries has the potential to replace more than 2 300MW of dieselfired electricity generation, thereby reducing the carbon emissions by more than 50% while eliminating sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. Gas is therefore an obvious bridge to a lower carbon future. The Petroleum Agency SA awaits the licensee of these gas discoveries submitting its production right and environmental authorisation applications when the exploration right expires, or earlier. The agency expects the licensee to use world-class technologies and standards to minimise the effects of the gas and gas condensate production on the environment, while maximising the in-country benefit or local content from this development to support SA’s economic recovery. These discoveries could indeed support both the country’s economic recovery and its transition to a clean energy future. Shale and biogenic gas prospects Onshore exploration opportunities are represented by unconventional resources such as shale gas in the south-central Karoo, coalbed methane in the coalfields of the east and northern sectors of the country and biogenic gas in the Virginia and Evander regions. However, geological analysis is showing that there may well be significant potential for conventional oil and gas resources onshore. South Africa has a history of political stability and the new UPRD bill [Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Bill] will assist the Agency system, in expediting namely Struman exploration and/or through Bridge close management Management system of acreage as a tool allocation to help and authorities work programmes. analyse the information These positive gathered factors during create the a conducive inspections environment of road infrastructure. for PASA to A certified pursue its structures mandate inspector of attracting who investment visits the places into the of upstream interest can petroleum conduct industry. the inspections physically, or The it can draft be bill done provides by sending greater policy a drone certainty to the and locations a stable to record environment video and for take investment pictures in of the South structure. African The oil skilled and gas inspector sector. It can provides utilise security these subsequently of tenure by to combining examining the the rights state for of the exploration, structures and development then advising and on production remedial actions. phase under The method one permit. allows government agencies to cut expenditures As far as the on issuing time-consuming of exploration and rights specialised over the services last 18 and months also allows is concerned, for prioritisation a total of 21 of exploration structures that rights need for both immediate onshore attention and offshore and were those issued that require during this routine period, maintenance. including renewals ■ and new exploration rights. As of December 2020, there is no longer a moratorium on applications for rights onshore, other than those for shale gas in a specified area covering the central Karoo. Other onshore applications continue to be received and processed in terms of the MPRDA. The moratorium for shale gas rights and new offshore applications remains in place and is expected to be lifted with the enactment of the hydraulic fracturing regulations (for environmental management and water use) for the shale gas extraction technologies. ■ Locality Coal Field SOUTH Gas discovery Provincial boundary Karoo Basins AFRICA LEPHALALE BASIN Waterberg About the CSIR Pretoria Lesotho TULI BASIN Mopane Limpopo SPRINGBOK FLATS BASIN Tshipise Springbok Flats Mpumalanga Johannesburg Witbank Gauteng The Council for Scientific and Industrial The North West Swaziland Highveld Ermelo and development organisation established Utrecht Vryheid undertakes directed, Free State multidisciplinary Klip Rivier Nongoma research MAIN KAROO BASIN Somkele and technological innovation that contributes Free State Bloemfontein to the improved quality of life of South KwaZulu-Natal Africans. Tuli TSHIPISE BASIN Pafuri Kangwane The CSIR is a world-class African research through an Act of Parliament in 1945. The CSIR Durban 15 Northern Cape Eastern Cape Molteno GAUTENG BUSINESS 2023 Figure 32. Distribution of coal fields in the Karoo-aged basins in South Africa (digital geological data sourced from Council for Geoscience) 34
