The Scottish Government is being urged not to renew an Ineos shale gas licence at the end of the month.
The licence, known as PEDL162, east of Glasgow, reaches the end of its exploration term on 30 June 2018.
Petitions signed by members of the public and local community councils call on the Scottish Energy Minister to exercise his new powers over the oil and gas industry and cancel the licence.
Onshore oil and gas licensing powers were devolved to Scottish Ministers under the Scotland Act 2016 on 9 February 2018.
PEDL162, issued in 2008, had a “drill-or-drop” commitment under which the licence holder should either:
“drill one well, or elect to allow the licence to automatically cease and determine pursuant to Clause 3.”
Ineos Upstream Ltd, which holds 80% of the licence, and its partner Reach Oil and Gas, have not complied with the commitment to drill a well. The companies also recently lost their legal challenge against the Scottish Government policy on fracking. (DrillOrDrop report)
More than 20 community councils and three community anti-fracking groups urged the Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, to cancel the PEDL162 licence. They said:
“This would protect Scottish Communities from the potential risks associated with this industry and avoid misleading the industry and the potential for substantial compensatory claims.”
Petition handed to Mark Ruskell MSP. Photo: Frackwatch
A petition signed by more than 3,000 people was presented this week to the Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell who will deliver it to Mr Wheelhouse. Mr Ruskell has also submitted a question on the subject in the Scottish parliament.
DrillOrDrop Weekend Long Read on the other licences that expire on 30 June 2018
Categories: Opposition
DRILL OR DROP? 
Makes sense, then everyone knows where they stand.
Insomnia a problem again Sherwulfe?
Have INEOS been allowed to drill within the current time frame? Err, no. So, cancel the licence in June, ahead of the decision in October, and I think compensation would follow.
I suspect a fudge as the SNP will be wary to get into further problems and then find PNR suddenly produces good results.
Wee Sturgeon won’t do it… Nae b*lls to actually make a decision hence why my country is dying.
Even if she wanted to. She cannot. That power is not devolved. The Scottish government does not have the power to stop them. They are using planning consent to block fracking.
The same as the could not ban it. It is banned in all but name. That’s why the court case fell flat.
If the SNP had done what stupid people in the unionists parties wanted, ban it. We would be screwed now.
However the SNP fights for all of us, to protect us. Even [edited by moderator] people like you. 😂
[Comment removed by moderator]
Don’t worry, the wind always blows in Scotland.
It didn’t for a few WEEKS recently…
Probably just enough Dino to supply those left when the industry has gone.
And when I enjoyed my honeymoon in Scotland, the wind did not blow, the tarmac was melting and there were lorries out gritting to try and keep the road surface somewhere near intact.