Third Energy is expected to submit its planning application to frack its well at Kirby Misperton in North Yorkshire this week. Campaigners against the plans have said they were very disappointed that the company was going ahead, despite local opposition.
A notice at the site of the well, known as K8, said Third Energy is applying to “hydraulically stimulate and test the various geological formations previously identified during the KM8 drilling operation and subsequent analysis of the data, followed by the production of gas from one or more of these formations”.
The plans will be available to the public once they have been validated by North Yorkshire County Council.
A statement from the campaign organisation, Frack Free Ryedale, said it was “very disappointed to see that Third Energy are continuing with their application to frack at Kirby Misperton, despite ever-increasing local opposition to the company’s plans.”
The organisation said that in the recent Ryedale District Council elections nearly 14,000 people voted for candidates who were “clearly and unequivocally anti-fracking”.
“Every day more people are realising that fracking would be bad for the local economy, tourism, agriculture and the environment”, the organisation said.
The statement added: “It’s important for people to realise that if this application for a test-frack is approved, it will open the door to widespread commercial fracking all across Ryedale. Third Energy have already announced that they are planning 19 well-sites with between 10 and 50 wells on each site, and all the HGV traffic, related infrastructure, pollution concerns and noise this would entail. This would lead to the industrialisation of the countryside – and it all starts with just one well.”
[Updated 22/5/15 to correct date of submission]
Categories: Industry, Opposition, Regulation