Third Energy’s KM8 fracking site, 18 January 2018. Photo: Eddie thornton
The Conservative MP, Kevin Hollinrake, and chartered oil and gas engineer, Mike Hill, will take opposite sides in a debate about fracking in North Yorkshire next month.
Mr Hollinrake, whose Thirsk and Malton constituency includes the fracking site at Kirby Misperton, will argue that UK regulation can make hydraulic fracturing safe. Mr Hill, who has worked in the industry for 25 years, will make the case against.
The event, in Pickering on Thursday 8 March, has been organised by Kirkbymoorside Town Council and aims to inform councillors and citizens about fracking.
It will be chaired by the retired bishop, the Right Reverend James Jones. He was formerly Bishop of Liverpool and Bishop of Hull. He chaired the Hillsborough Panel supervising disclosure of documents relating to the football stadium disaster and examined the proposed sale of UK state-owned forests.
Since December 2014, Kirkbymoorside Town Council has opposed fracking activities locally until, it said, there were satisfactory answers to its serious concerns.
Fracking has been expected in Ryedale since November 2017, when Third Energy said it was ready to carry out the operation at its KM8 well in Kirby Misperton. Yesterday, the company confirmed there could be “a further period” before the final decision was made by the government (DrillOrDrop report). This follows the announcement that the Business Secretary had ordered a review of Third Energy’s financial resilience.
Despite this, the issue of hydraulic fracturing remains a key one in Ryedale.
Later this month, a Government-appointed planning inspector will begin to examine the North Yorkshire joint minerals and waste plan, which will set policy on fracking into the 2030s. The day set aside for oil and gas submissions is a week after the debate on Tuesday 13 March.
The shale gas company, INEOS, is also expected to begin seismic testing for shale gas in its licence areas in North Yorkshire this year. Correspondence between the company and the North York Moors National Park suggests that INEOS is planning to host public meetings about its proposed operations.
The case of the speakers
Kevin Hollinrake
House of Commons debate
Mr Hollinrake (pictured left), an MP for the area since 2015, has said shale gas would provide a bridge while the UK develops renewable energy sources, improves energy efficiency and builds new nuclear plants.
He has argued that reports by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering and Public Health England have concluded that shale gas can be developed whilst protecting the environment, provided that operational best practices are implemented and enforced through regulation.
He has said he would meet regularly with the Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive and other agencies to ensure that public health is not put at risk. He will endeavour to make sure that the taxpayer or landowner does not have to meet the longer-term cost of shale gas exploration, for site restoration and aftercare, even if the operator goes out of business.
Michael Hill
Photo: Refracktion
Mr Hill (pictured right), a chartered engineer and member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, has contributed to some of the key reports on the regulation of fracking. He has also provided expert guidance on similar questions to the UK government, the European Commission, the Royal Society and others.
He questions whether UK regulators have sufficient expertise in relation to fracking, whether they have the capacity to be effective and whether the existing regulations are adequate.
Mr Hill argues that the UK’s well examination scheme is not fit for purpose for onshore activities, and says that it is essential that it should be made so if severe damage is to be avoided.
He believes that the current regime allows operators to decide for themselves whether to follow best practices and that the authorities are ill prepared to provide any supervision.
The debate
After initial speeches, the audience will be invited to ask questions. Each speaker will then sum up and a vote will be taken on the motion.
The debate is on Thursday 8th March 2018, from 7pm-9pm, in the main hall of Lady Lumley’s School, Swainsea Lane, Pickering YO18 8NG.
Tickets are now available for Kirkbymoorside residents. From Monday 12 February all Ryedale residents will be able to apply. They can be obtained from the Town Clerk: email town.clerk@kirkbymoorsidetowncouncil.gov.uk or phone 01751432217, or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/kirkbymoorside-town-council. Tickets are limited to two per applicant.
8/2/18 Kirbymoorside town clerk’s email address corrected
Categories: Diary
DRILL OR DROP? 
Cuadrilla are already drilling through the two aquifers below Preston New Road!
Drilling chemical additives mingling with pre-existing below ground materials including NORM and entering the source of half the Fylde Peninsula water supply is obviously not a good idea!
Gold Standard Monitoring should have prevented this ever starting!
Mature fracking location evidence now available via List of the Harmed! Please study if you wish to discover the truth?
As you say, there is no such thing as Hollinrake’s weasel words “Gold Standard Monitoring” – he is the very last person on the planet we should have confidence in on this, let alone trust. He will call black white and vice versa, if it helps him slide between a rock and a hard place and achieve his aim which is promotion within his party. He cares not a jot what happens to his constituency. Appalling.
There are no depths “our” MP will not sink to to bury his constituency to do the bidding of his party. Utterly shameless and a disgrace to his profession. You can bet he will be promoted for his efforts, utterly disgusting.
Lot’s of drilling through things, doesn’t mean the things are contaminated. Doesn’t mean the drill space is contaminated either, otherwise the London Tube and Channel Tunnel have big problems. I think they call it engineering.
Given the appalling track record of the fracking industry globally, your comment is immature and patronising. Furthermore, fracking where the geology is riddled with faults, makes it absolutely impossible to guarantee that processes can avoid contamination, and to imply otherwise is disingenuous.
Well said Fiona.
You mean the “appalling track” record in the USA which has broken the OPEC cartel, moderating the global oil price and enabling the worlds poorest to live better lives as a result?
But, I suspect you are snug, warm, and well fed this morning Fiona. Patronise me as much as you want, but please avoid doing so in respect of those less well off than yourself. It is not a good image.
Oh there goes the old bleeding hearts argument. The poorest in the world are already the hardest hit by climate change impacts. They will benefit a lot from leapfrogging fossil fuels and going straight to renewables – including from the straight value for money factor.