Third Energy’s KM8 site, 5 November 2017. Photo: Eddie Thornton
Third Energy has told people living near its Kirby Misperton gas site in North Yorkshire that it is preparing to frack.
In a letter distributed today, the company said it had completed the workover phases of the KM8 project and was laying out the hydraulic fracturing equipment – described as the frac spread.
Third Energy director, Alan Linn, said this comprised:
- Water tanks
- Containers holding frack fluid additives and sand
- Blenders that mix the water, sand and additives
- Pumps
- High pressure hoses connected to the well head
In the letter, Mr Linn said the company had experienced “a series of incidents which are both illegal and in some cases potentially dangerous”. He said:
“This has forced us, with regret, to step up our security provisions”.
Mr Linn said:
“We respect the right to lawful and peaceful protest but we have the equal expectation that local residents should be able to go about their daily routines and legal business without hindrance.”
The letter said off the site, the company had installed 12 surface seismic monitors, vibration monitors and a micro-seismic array. These monitors would provide data on seismic events and measure fracture height and growth.
The company said it was posting local informationon the Kirby Misperton People Facebook Page and on the KM8 portal of its website.
The Business Secretary, Greg Clark, has to give the final approval before fracking can begin at Kirby Misperton. At the time of writing, no decision has been announced.
Categories: Industry
DRILL OR DROP? 
Perhaps Third Energy can write another letter to local residents explaining why they continue to employ a security firm that clearly enjoys assaulting female protectors, as shown in this video.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/573619286143264/permalink/839875876184269/
Surely a private security company has no authority or legal right to act on the public highways.
Paul
It’s an interesting situation. As a private individual going to work, what would you do if someone hugged your car, such that you cannot proceed? Or maybe hugged you, if you were walking to work?
Can you ask someone for help, maybe a chap in a yellow jacket?
Who has the legal authority and or legal right to hug you, or your car, such that you cannot get to work?
hewes62
I see the point you make, BUT
The security guards are there to protect the companies assets . They have NO authority to enforce what should, or should not be happening on a public highway…
A security guard is NOT the law and they have no legal enforcment powers on the Queens Highway.
What we have witnessed here in the video link that ” Ellie ” has supplied, is a clear case of repeated assault.
IF YOU OR ME as men, repeateady grabbed a woman member of the public in such a way, we would be charged with assault , possibly even sexual assault .
If these particular men have not been removed from their jobs. Maybe Third Energy should consider putting out another letter warning members of the community, that within their employment they have men that ” possibly get pleasure and gratification ” assaulting and touching woman members of the public.
THERE IS ONE LASTING THOUGHT to consider ….. With the whole fracking situation being so heavily under the spotlight. ANY security guards, surely would of been well and truly briefed as to what they can and can not do, prior to starting work ….. Was this type of behaviour sanctioned from a higher level ???? A detailed statement on this matter is required from Third Energy .
[Comment edited at poster’s request]
Jack
It’s a tough one for third Energy. They were late in upping their security, maybe hoping what they had was enough. But a few people on the rig seems to have made them invest in it a bit more.
I think the situation got out of hand a bit. Slinging protestors about does not look good, even though they prefer to return immediately to the fray.
What should one do if your car is hugged? Call the police I guess, and walk to work.
Next day, hire a bus, when hugged decamp and walk to work.
Will individuals then be hugged? Hmmm, what to do then?
hewes, this analogy belittles the complexity and seriousness of the protesters presence and peaceful protest at this site. To be assaulted whilst carrying out a lawful activity should not be tolerated. It is neither a ‘tough one’ or can be excused by time constraints.
On a lighter note; walking to work is much better for your health, your pocket and the environment; hugging individuals. with consent, of course, may go a long way to heal the lonely culture that results in so many deaths. Hugging cars? Well, whatever floats yeh boat 🙂
Sherwulf
The tough bit is for the police and the security chaps to react to the protest in an appropriate manner. Flinging people about does not look right, so my assumption would be that they met a situation that they, the security firm, and Third Energy were not prepared for.
Much better to take a step back and wait for the police to arrive. They are on a public road after all.
As you note, it would be healthy to walk to work on that day.
The next day some better form of access for the staff could be arranged which is short on flinging about.
Are they ready to file their accounts though? Companies House website is still showing them as 40 days late tonight.
Surely they can’t get permission to frack with annual accounts not filed? It’s not like it’s the first time either – it was 13th February this year before they filed the last set narrowly avoiding striking off action by Companies House it seems – http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/warning-for-fracking-firm-over-late-filing-of-company-accounts-1-8317141
Suggest advising the Business Secretary of this, Refraktion! “The Business Secretary, Greg Clark, has to give the final approval before fracking can begin at Kirby Misperton. At the time of writing, no decision has been announced.”
Germany producing and exporting renewable energy.
35% of their needs.
‘In the first half of 2016, solar and wind collectively generated 58 TWh, but that figure rose to 68 TWh in the first two quarters of this year. Wind power made up most of that 10 TWh increase at 7.5 TWh’
I don’t think the British public will be happy if we import renewable energy from Germany seeing as we have much higher wind speeds.
Of course Germany burn’s lots of coal. It would appear that they are going to miss out the gas powered ‘middle man’ and move smartly onto a renewable future and benefit from tumbling set up costs and infinite free sourced energy.
90% of the German population are happy with this system.
Common sense really.
We still have 375,000 North sea workers making sure our lights stay on. Norway’s secure established pipelines supply us with the majority of our import requirements. LNG from Qatar helps with our £1.5 billion annual trade deal with the country.
Meanwhile pro frackers continue to import goods from China but question our imports from other Countries and yet raise concerns over climate change.
Funny old world with Britain at risk of missing out on a share in the global renewable energy bonanza worth trillions.
As a ‘pro fracker’ I actually own two UK based manufacturing companies. Everything is made in the UK with nothing imported from China.
Sad to see you’re ok with importing from Qatar, very dodgy country with whom the finance using our money.
Burning the old hydro carbons into the night! Come on Third Energy, get fracking.The antis need the fossil fuel to maintain their yeti sized carbon footprints. (Horlicks is a much more eco friendly way to counter insomnia.)
Agree Martin, we need the backup electricity, and I am very happy my gas boiler kicked in this morning (as it doubtless did up and down the country.)
Local enviro issues? Please follow science and the law of gravity….
Climate Change? We need gas to fill the gaps in renewable production till we can get storage and sufficient amounts. How is solar doing this morning? Er….
Ken, storage in sufficient amounts will not come for a long, long, long time. Going all renewable will require massive amounts of redundant generation and storage of such vast proportions that the material requirements will make it prohibitively expensive until fossil fuels are so dear that storage investment makes sense.
I wonder if John will find a new record one day!
To re-iterate. Imports are not producing any tax benefit to the UK. Indeed, some imports after Brexit could attract tariffs.
What we produce in UK attracts UK taxes to pay for all the things we expect eg. NHS. Why give that benefit to Norway, or other countries? They have plenty of markets to supply without us.
Yes, we buy stuff from China. Like solar panels produced in a most energy inefficient and environmentally shocking way, but we have to keep the alternative energy band wagon afloat.
‘Imports are not producing any tax benefit to the UK’ That’s a strange statement, Martin.
If I import a product and sell it in the UK for more than I paid on a big enough scale I pay tax on my profits (unless I am registered offshore of course). I will probably pay VAT at some point (unless I ship to a UK tax haven for a day or so). If I employ people to help me then they will also contribute to the tax system, I may even pay local taxes via council tax. It’s called economics.
Sadly what we produce in the UK cannot pay for the NHS etc. We are a net importer. Individuals cannot pay enough taxes in their lifetime to pay for their own health, education and infrastructure needs. Our system is broken. Large companies register offshore but still expect healthy, educated workers without any contribution in taxes from them. Small companies and individuals are propping up these investor ‘ I want more money for doing bugger all’ driven monsters; who contribute nothing to the real growth of the company and result in the destruction of the companies real assets, the people.
When you buy from another country the money goes out of the country. It does not matter where you buy from. However, trade brings back money to the country. At the moment the UK is in the red. Puking out more dirty gas and oil will not change this; in actuality it will cause bigger spending in health and social care as a result of the negative effects.
‘Yes, we buy stuff from China’ – plastic, cheap and non durable products, eventual landfill.
There is currently a massive opportunity in the UK to invest in a future growth industry such as clean energy generation. It is here and growing. The O&G industry is frantically thrashing like a dying fish and imagines it will survive. But it won’t and those generators who have seen this have moved on.
I understand why you don’t get this Martin et al. Your motivations are crystal clear. But your words will only serve to encourage more to move on to our inevitable clean energy generation future.
I think John’s record is a Number 1 and will stay at the top of the chart for some time. If he finds a new one I’m sure it will only be better and eventually maybe a best selling album? Rock on.
[Comment removed by moderator]
Oh dear Sherwulfe. You conflate so many items, I think you confuse yourself.
Try and look at it really simplistically. We buy 1 tonne of oil from Saudi at £X. That is money out of the UK economy and no tax benefit to the UK. We replace with 1 tonne of oil from UK on-shore at £X. Taxes are paid from that on-shore production to the UK (HMRC). Not increasing our use of oil, just changing the source. (Same applies for gas.)
“Individuals cannot pay enough tax etc.”-you speak for some in that statement, but certainly not for all. However, if it was the case, then where would the rest come from ahh, taxation from business. Your motivation seems to be little to do with on-shore UK oil and gas.
It appears some people do not understand how the world works
Try to look with your eyes open
The UK has a strong historic relationship with Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is our largest trading partner in the Middle East.
UK exported around £7 billion goods and services in 2014. Goods exports were 4.17 billion in 2014. Over 6,000 UK firms actively export goods to Saudi Arabia.
The top UK exports to Saudi Arabia in 2014 were:
transport related equipment
power generating machinery and equipment
medicinal and pharmaceutical products
general industrial machinery
professional and scientific instruments
road vehicles and parts
foodstuffs and other consumables
The UK is the Kingdom’s second largest cumulative investor with approximately 200 joint ventures, estimated to be worth around £11.5 billion.
There is considerable Saudi investment in the UK.
Yet pro frackers want to stop trading with Saudi and Qatar, loose billions, but keep importing thousands of containers full with Chinese goods.
Luckily there are only a handful who seem to not understand.
Powney, you may not have noticed, but SA is on the brink of civil war.
Sadly for you Martin you cannot simplify the world just because you do not understand the complexities; the spiders web of cause and effect, trade and import.
Better to replace 1 tonne of on shore oil or gas for UK clean energy generation, and quickly before ‘fossilists’ like your self burn up the planet with your hot air and empty rhetoric.
I am surprised that you do not employ those maths skills from a previous incarnation to work out the reality of the present tax system. But then again, you think that UK shale will economically replace imported LNG. Back to school for you me laddy. Time to do some real research. Come back to the table when you have something tangible and credible.
Since when, John, do you have to buy something from someone in order to sell to them?
I think you will find that system is bartering.
I don’t think you will find sales by USA to Saudi have been materially damaged by them producing a lot more of their own oil.
I recommend you avoid jigsaws. Trying to force pieces where they don’t fit can easily be spotted.
Yep-quite a few containers full of Chinese solar panels.
You seem to have a down on China and support Germany. Hmmm. How many Chinese manufactured car parts in German cars?
Probably only understood by a handful.
A quick look on how the US are massively dependant on other countries to keep their lights on.
In 2016, the United States imported approximately 10.1 million barrels per day (MMb/d) of petroleum from about 70 countries. Petroleum includes crude oil, natural gas plant liquids, liquefied refinery gases, refined petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel fuel, and biofuels including ethanol and biodiesel. About 78% of gross petroleum imports were crude oil.
In 2016, the United States exported about 5.2 MMb/d of petroleum to 101 countries. Most of the exports were petroleum products. The resulting net imports (imports minus exports) of petroleum were about 4.9 MMb/d.
Obviously US shale is not as cheap as OPEC and the others even though the UK recognises that the US use a cheaper non ‘gold standard’ system with huge chemical laden frack fluid to enhance recovery rates
No chance of it being viable over here. Infinite delays, costly ‘gold standards’ , only using the low return mix of sand, water, and a thimbleful of friction reducer, and the US driving the global price down with futile attempts to undercut OPEC.
Regarding the posts on home grown versus imports
The argument against importing energy into the UK would be more plausible if it came from those who drive English Morris Marinas, dress in English lambs wool tunics and live in houses made out of bent English willow and English sourced wattle and daub.
I have yet to hear from some one who fits that description but I will keep looking.
Why would those who do not want to import from Norway happily fill their houses with imported Chines goods? It makes no sense.
I am glad however that the public gets to see both sides of the arguments on sites like this. They can then make informed decisions.
The stats tell us what the public are taking notice of
https://drillordrop.com/2017/11/02/opposition-to-fracking-at-record-high-and-support-at-lowest-level-ever-latest-government-survey/
UK Shale gas. Not needed, not wanted, and not viable.
Understood by the many.
I would just like to add a true story here that may explain some reality to a few.
Before I retired I worked for a company who had three authorised (by our QC Manager) suppliers, two European, one Chinese. He routinely visited all three on a regular basis and monitored all three for quality purposes. The European factories were antiquated but appeared to produce a decent product. The Chinese factory was spanking new and produced a great product. We bought from all three, but the Chinese product was a fraction of the price. Why did we buy from all three? Because the European producers spent a lot of money promoting the “quality” of their product and this convinced some customers to specify their product.
Then-and this should be familiar to the antis-there was a severe earthquake in China and whole areas were devastated, including factories. Overnight the Chinese had to declare force majeure, which I had to declare to customers around the world. Only time I have had to do it, so it sticks in my mind. The Chinese factory could still supply smaller quantities but at higher prices as they needed to rapidly replace systems/facilities. World wide the prices for this product disappeared through the roof.
What happened next was the most interesting. One of the “European” manufacturers (guess from where) announced within 24 hours of the Chinese earthquake and the price going through the roof, they were withdrawing from supplying this product! Now, if reality has not dawned yet, what was happening was they were purchasing the Chinese product in volume, and packaging it. Not illegal, contract manufactured for them. They maintained a very small European output to show to clients but the vast majority was made in China. At the same time they were promoting to clients how their quality was better than the Chinese!
I learnt then that there is a huge range between the best and worst Chinese producers. The good are really good, if continually monitored. The bad are really awful.
But do not believe because there is one language on the packaging, or a brand label, that is it’s history.
I also would like to add a true story.
Since I was born I cannot remember a day when the lights in my house did not go on when I flicked the switch. There was always a source of heat in my house. I am very lucky.
That energy came predominately from home grown North sea oil and gas or in more recent years from Norway and Qatar and small amounts from other sources.
The thing is I am happy with this proven secure energy system. It has never let me or my family down.
You see the reality is that the UK fossil fuel energy system is secure. Once you recognise the fact that this is true you can then concentrate on what the world has to do in order to combat the threat from climate change which is effecting us all.
That is of course to maximise on renewable potential
Forget shale. There would be no benefits that could compete with the benefits from renewables.
Yes, John Powney, and the Turkey is very happy with his life until the day before T’giving, when he is slaughtered. O&G from the NS has provided you with a good life. That time is rapidly drawing to a close. Luckily there are people in power who understand the gravity of the situation.
‘Luckily there are people in power who understand the gravity of the situation’
Shame they are not doing anything about it…..The time indeed is drawing rapidly to a close, but not for just the NS but for all fossil fuel. The clean is here, more by the day, bye bye dirty stuff, hello oxygen!
So they had you fooled Martin, interesting……