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Réponse de l'entreprise

1 Mar 2021

ReconAfrica responded

[full response attached]

ReconAfrica comments on the article by Energy Voice:

ReconAfrica does consult local populations and interested stakeholders on a continuous basis. ReconAfrica works with traditional authorities, community headwomen and headmen and community members. ReconAfrica also works with regional authorities, ministry representatives and interested stakeholders and has a pro-active approach to their stakeholder engagement and regulatory consultation activities...

ReconAfrica has excluded Tsodilo Hills protected area and taken several actions to demonstrate the importance of cultural and historical unique areas. ReconAfrica was never going to work in these areas, like the Tsodilio Hills, and our approach to ESG demonstrates this...

The local communities have made clear, on several occasions and continue to do so that they see ReconAfrica’s project as positive overall impact for their communities and their region. They see the actions that ReconAfrica takes environmentally and socially and with good governance, will create opportunities that will have a sustainable impact...

ReconAfrica chose to take extra measures with respect to environmental standards and is using drilling fluids that are water based. The Polyamine/PHPA/Polymer system utilizes a 100% freshwater fluid phase as a base to yield all polymer compounds within the system. The selection of polyamine technology in place of running KCl Brine for the base Fluid Phase of the system, was solely contingent to the fact that without the presence of excessive chloride content the system becomes FULLY environmentally safe referencing topsoil and water table contamination. ReconAfrica is decisively working with chloride free premium polyamines making their drilling fluids fully environmentally safe, for many aspects including topsoil development. This approach is taken worldwide in North America, Australia, Middle East, other parts of Africa and in Europe. This approach is more costly for our company, but it is more important to put the well-being of the environment first...

ReconAfrica has been clear that we are focused on conventional oil. Furthermore, ReconAfrica owns their Crown 750 drilling rig. It was purposefully bought as it is a relatively small rig designed for mobility and drilling conventional wells only. The rig is truck mounted and designed for light impact and mobility across desert conditions. With 1000 HP the Crown 750 can drill to a maximum depth of 13,000’ which restricts operations to vertically drilled conventional formations only. Local groups in true definition of local are advocates of ReconAfrica’s project. To be even more clear, Frac’ing is un-necessary for conventional oil and gas production. Again, the Kavango is a newly identified sedimentary basin. This being the case, ReconAfrica’s focus is on conventional...

ReconAfrica is initial stage of exploration. ReconAfrica is drilling stratigraphic wells and are gathering core data, meaning gathering geological data that is below the ground. Core data can be reviewed to determine more information on the geological basin. These core samples are important for the Government of Namibia, in particular, the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the University of Namibia, in particular the Geology Department. Furthermore, in initial exploration phases whereby, a company is gathering more data, the steps are to complete an EIA per different activity of exploration. ReconAfrica is in the very initial stages of exploration and as stated, ReconAfrica is gathering more data. We are following the correct process.

A more thorough review in an incremental approach would be used for ongoing more in-depth impactful projects like the mining industry in Namibia.

  • An example that will help to describe the situation of an actual case area in Namibia: Example: In the uranium industry in Namibia, uranium in Namibia was discovered in 1928. More steps in exploration took place in the late 1950s. Production in uranium occurred in the late 1970s – like 1976 and onwards. SEAs, or the documents that you are referring to with respect to impact assessments were published around 2010 for uranium mining projects. 82 years for the uranium industry...

ReconAfrica is not fracking... Regulatory consultations and ongoing stakeholder engagement take place. Seismic survey is a nonintrusive exploration method used in validating the subsurface search for geological structures.

ReconAfrica comments on the article by Petro Industry News:

ReconAfrica understands the importance of wildlife and water. ReconAfrica is implementing their water management strategy and also has team members solely focused on wildlife surveys. We are working with the various ministries within the government along with the universities and technical personnel. We also appreciate the importance of designated and government approved areas and work alongside government authorities to ensure required elements are followed. We have ongoing direct relationships with representatives within conservancies, NGOs, OKACOM, UN organisations and otherwise. It should also be noted that oil projects have worked alongside these types of organisations and their environmental requirements in several instances and projects continue to do this. As previously stated, ReconAfrica has excluded Tsodilo Hills protected area and taken several actions to demonstrate the importance of cultural and historical unique areas. ReconAfrica was never going to work in these areas, like the Tsodilio Hills, and our approach to ESG demonstrates this...

Namibia has strong environmental law and regulations and as has been stated, EIAs are required at each stage of project activities. International standards and review organisations have reviewed these laws and regulations and have positive findings of the processes and requirements in place...

The Voices of Kavango are heard. https://reconafrica.com/our-sustainable-approach/the-voices-of-kavango/ Chapter two is also forthcoming. Please note as well, that the individual mentioned above, has been present at several stakeholder engagement activities and regulatory consultation sessions. His colleagues have been thankful for ReconAfrica’s engagement activities and regulatory consultation activities that have taken place...

ReconAfrica has extensive monitoring programs and government ministry representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform and NamWater authorities (waste water and otherwise) as well as other Government Ministry authorities (MME, MEFT) have complete inspections and site visits on a regular basis. The feedback has been positive and useful.

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