Investigating the impact of Groundwater Impact around a leaking plugged Gas Exploration bore

The exploration for shale gas is imminent in the Karoo basin of South Africa. There are concerns that the exploration and production of gas might lead to groundwater contamination in a sensitive area where many communities rely on groundwater. This case study presents data from an abandoned gas exploration bore that was plugged many years ago and from where both gas and water has been observed to be leaking recently. The study aimed to determine the source of the water flowing from the plugged bore using isotope analyses and to determine whether community water supply boreholes in the area have been impacted. The laboratory results indicated that none of the community boreholes were impacted by the compounds of concern. The geochemical signature of the groundwater in the community boreholes is also significantly different from the water that is flowing out from the gas exploration bore, because it has a signature typical of recently recharged shallow groundwater.