Expected wastewater volumes associated with unconventional oil and gas exploitation in South Africa and the management thereof

Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) exploitation may generate large volumes of wastewater, with dire environmental consequences if not properly managed. We systematically reviewed literature, reports, and fracking databases to determine possible volumes of wastewater that may be generated during UOG extraction. We then determined ranges of expected UOG extraction wastewater volumes for different UOG production scenarios in South Africa. Based on the results, we discuss associated wastewater management implications for South Africa, where UOG exploitation is planned in the future. The recommendations emanating from this article are equally important for other countries already extracting UOG resources, or that plan to do so in the future.