Markwells Wood oil site in the South Downs National Park where the use of acid was proposed. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Friends of the Earth has called for a ban on the use of acid to stimulate the flow of oil and gas in onshore wells.
In a report called The Acid Test, published this week, it said many of the risks linked to acid stimulation were similar to those for fracking, including contamination of groundwater, soil and air, industrialisation of rural areas, noise, increased traffic and earth tremors.
It said current regulations were not strong enough to deal with these risks and there were gaps in knowledge about the chemicals used. Acid stimulation would also contribute to climate change, it said.
As well as ban, Friends of the Earth called for:
- An assessment of the health and environmental impacts of acid well stimulations in England
- Identification of chemicals of concern used in all onshore well stimulation operations
- Government publication of data on the number and type of acid stimulations in England
- A requirement for exploration companies to state explicitly in planning applications whether they want to use acid and for what purpose.
Oil and gas companies say they have routinely used acid for decades. But it is not always clear whether this was to clean scale or other deposits from the well, known as acid wash, or to stimulate the flow of hydrocarbons in rock formations.
Acid stimulation is likely at several new oil exploration sites in the Weald basin in southern England, some in protected areas.
Brenda Pollack, south east campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said:
“Residents are right to be worried about the increasing use of acid well stimulation to produce oil and gas in this area. There are a lot of unknowns about the quantities and type of chemicals being used and where they end up.
“It’s clear that we should be reducing fossil fuel use, yet the government is encouraging the industry. Plans to fast track shale gas operations could have implications in the Weald basin which is a known shale oil area.”
What is acid stimulation?
In acid stimulation, companies inject a fluid containing acid and other chemicals into the rock formation. The chemical concentrations are usually 6-18%, higher than the 0.5% concentration used in hydraulic fracturing.
In acid fracturing, one form of acid stimulation, the fluid is injected at pressures high enough to fracture the rocks, as with hydraulic fracturing.
Hydrochloric acid is usually used where the rocks are limestone and hydrofluoric acid in sandstone formations. But sometimes combinations of acids are used.
Key issues
Climate change
Friends of the Earth said:
“[Acid stimulation] is being proposed and is potentially already being used in England to increase fossil fuel production. But, to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we need to reduce fossil fuel use fast. Increasing fossil fuel production is not compatible with the climate change goals the UK has signed-up to.”
Regulation
The regulations covering fracking are unlikely to deal with acid stimulation, Friends of the Earth said.
Legislation on hydraulic fracturing applies only where individual fracture treatments use 1,000m3 of water or 10,000m3 in total.
Acid fracking tends to use smaller volumes of fluid, though at higher chemical concentrations. This means there is no automatic requirement to carry out baseline monitoring of methane in groundwater nor monitor methane levels in the air, Friends of the Earth said. There is also no legislation banning surface development of sites using acid stimulation in protected areas like National Parks.
Friends of the Earth said:
“Regulations are not strong enough to cover the risks associated with acid stimulation. No proper environmental risk assessment study appears to have been performed.”
Gaps in knowledge
Friends of the Earth said:
“There are a lot of unknowns about acid stimulation. Whilst we know that many of the chemicals used in the processes can be hazardous, there have been very few studies on the risks and impacts.
“There are significant gaps in knowledge about the chemicals used in the treatments, including overall volumes used, and their toxicity and persistence in the environment, meaning that there are clear risks that residents are right to be concerned about.”
The first toxicological study purely dedicated to acidising was published in the U.S. in 2017. But Friends of the Earth said in England the Environment Agency had not carried out any studies of its own.
“It appears that the Environment Agency has not historically given permits for acid well stimulation operations and is unable to provide data on where acidising has taken place.”
Friends of the Earth added:
“As far as we are aware, there have been no studies to look at the quantities and profiles of chemicals used in acidising operations in England. This means there is a lack of analysis of how much has been used in the past to determine levels of current and future risk.
“Given the number of applications coming forward this must be addressed. The government needs to ensure that adequate reporting is carried out by the industry and that relevant cumulative data on chemical use is publicly available.”
Environmental impacts
Friends of the Earth said:
“acid stimulation could involve hundreds of new oil wells, some in our most precious areas of countryside.
“It is important that there is more clarity when [planning] applications are made so that the public and local decision makers know exactly what type of treatment a developer wants to carry out.”
Industry reaction
Ken Cronin, chief executive of the industry organisation, UK Onshore Oil and Gas, said in response to the Friends of the Earth report:
“The use of acid is a standard water services and oilfield practice for many developments and is clearly outlined in the Environment Agency’s Q&A documentation. Indeed, as Friends of the Earth themselves note, this is a technique that has been widely used since the 1950s.
“Acidisation, both in the water industry and our own, is a regulated practice that allows us to effectively ‘clean’ or improve recovery from a well. It dissolves fine particles and scale, allowing a better flow of what we’re trying to extract. As with household kettles, which need to be treated for limescale build-up, the use of this process merely increases the efficiency of our practices.
“An environmental permit is only issued for this technique if the Environment Agency are satisfied that the proposed activities meet the requirements of all the relevant legislation. Friends of Earth would have you believe that ‘acid’ automatically means a hazard to human health, but according to this report, they would ban us from using formic acid – something commonly found in both bees and nettles.
“According to the OGA, the UK’s oil import dependency is forecast to increase from 30% today to almost 70% by 2035, and the prediction for gas is equally bleak. Under the Committee on Climate Change limits on oil consumption, the use of 46 million tonnes equivalent in 2040 satisfies the Climate Change Act. With oil the biggest sole source of UK energy, instead of proposing ill-informed bans Friends of the Earth should ask themselves why they want us to become a country beholden on others for our basic needs.”
Friends of the Earth summary briefing
Friends of the Earth full briefing
Categories: Opposition
DRILL OR DROP? 
FoE is a political party or lobbyist not a scientific charity.
HCl is released in our stomach during and atter meal to digest food at pH 2.8 coz many digestive enzyme work optimally at strong acidic range. I hope in they are not gonna call for a ban on eating food to suit their ban of HCl release.
Re stomach acid – an absurd analogy. Do you really think that, because we use acid to assist in digestion, this can automatically be applied to soil health? Given the psychopathically greedy nature of the fossil fuel industry it’s essential to question everything they tell us.
Well well,good morning ladles and jellyspoons, its a bright and sunny morning here, a bit overcast over there i see, and that is not just the weather either? Deeper clouds and fog are obscuring the daylight.
Dear me, i see the Enemies of the Earth are peddling their usual propaganda against the Friends of the Earth? Isn’t it interesting that a publicly funded organization is so vilified by these private corporation hacks who only seek to gain from plundering the Earth and only have hateful words for those who are trying to protect the Earth from their promoted industrialisation of UK and the entire planet?
What does that tell us? Privateer greed hates to see their victim protected and the usual attempt to divide and conquer isnt it.
Quite sad really.
But we know better don’t we folks? We know that the real situation is a concerted attack on the planets diminishing resources and anyone who stands between this hateful industry and their profits must be attacked and vilified. Quite transparent.
“The great lie is that it is civilization. It’s not civilized. It has been literally the most blood thirsty brutalizing system ever imposed upon this planet. That is not civilization. That’s the great lie—is that it represents civilization.”—John Trudell
Remember They Are Doing It For You….
The Corporations and their government lackeys sell you their energy
They tell you that it’s your need you pay for necessity
But remember they are doing it for you….
So you use it on their gross and sociopathic entertainment
So you use it on their gross and sociopathic lies and disinformation
But remember they are doing it for you….
So you watch their bread and circuses
You watch in horror their psychotically dumbed down services
But remember they are doing it for you….
You watch them use it for their greed
You watch them as they use it for their feed
But remember they are doing it for you….
But it’s their greed you feed
And they tell you that you need it more and more and more indeed
But remember they are doing it for you….
To get all that wasted energy that without it you’re on your own
They need to invade your quiet village your quiet streets and your peaceful town
But remember they are doing it for you….
It’s your earth they must drill and bore and quake and score
That is their hacking fracking cracking law
But remember they are doing it for you….
For them you must sacrifice your land
Your peace your rights your houses and your mind
But remember they are doing it for you….
You must sacrifice your water
You must sacrifice your air
But remember they are doing it for you….
You must sacrifice your health
You must sacrifice your climate and your children’s futures wealth
But remember they are doing it for you….
Never mind that it your countries ecology, its life and bounty and that you are sheeple that they come to fleece
Never mind that it costs your communities your rights to freedom and your local police
But remember they are doing it for you….
They sell you their austerity policies to run your government for you
They sell you their austerity policies to fulfil your need
But remember they are doing it for you….
But they sell you their austerity policies to fulfil their greed
Their need for greed has overturned your need to be freed
But remember they are doing it for you….
You think you buy them with the taxes they demand
And what they take you give what you have in your hand
But remember they are doing it for you….
With what you have they will take and you will pay and pay and pay
They fill their personal coffers and obey their master plotters and say and say and say
But remember they are doing it for you….
They sell you more laws to tell you to keep you in line
But with every new law there is a new crime
But remember they are doing it for you….
You think those new laws are for your protection
And yet the new criminal is now you they action
But remember they are doing it for you….
They tell you how to live
They say do what we say not do you what we do
But remember they are doing it for you….
Then you realise it’s your freedoms that you give
That they took what you have and you have no more rights to live
But remember they are doing it for you….
So you object
And you your protest show
But remember they are doing it for you….
Then it’s you they demonise
And it’s you they claim and it’s you they victimise
But remember they are doing it for you….
So they spread the hate and lies against you they now show
You speak up and state your case but the answers always “No”
But remember they are doing it for you….
Endangered by poisons and fracking and industrial invasions
And abused by greed’s outrageous fascist persuasions
But remember they are doing it for you….
The law will protect them
But the law will not protect you
But remember they are doing it for you….
So when protest fails to move
And democracy falls abused
But you remember they are doing it for you….
When public consultation wins the argument
But are then ignored and overturned by parliament
But remember they are doing it for you….
What are the lessons to be learned?
To what other options can you be turned?
But remember they are doing it for you….
When truth and justice disappear
In a fracture of a second you’re laws and democracy rights shatter entire
But remember they are doing it for you….
When your voice is shouted down and drowned by rabid hate
When you realise that slavery and subjugation is your intended fate
But remember they are doing it for you….
And when they sail to their tax haven bails
And take their billions and flee with tucked and cowered tails
But remember they are doing it for you….
And it is your selves and your children that will pay their fails
That will be forced to suffer their hateful Big Oil and Gas Big Brother Airstrip One jails
But remember they are doing it for you….
When you are left with no other choice
When even your censored peaceful protest has no voice
But remember they are doing it for you….
So then when our people’s anger soars and overturns this hateful fascist rise
Their freedom, laws and democratic rights to restore and crimes against humanity exorcise….
Remember
They Are Doing It For You….
these are a couple of songs by Buffy Saint-Marie, an indigenous native of America and a speaker of truth to those who would listen.
With apologies to Buffy Sainte-Marie:Working For The Government for some appropriate changes.
Some of us hear you Buffy.
“Working For The Government”
This song is by Buffy Sainte-Marie and appears on the album “Running For The Drum” (2008).
The neighbours like him
Think he’s a great guy
He wears a neck tie
Workin’ for the government
He get you elected
He take the heat y’all
He know the plan yeah he’s
Workin’ for the government
Ci-vil servant y’all
Mufti uniform
He keep a place in town he
Workin’ for the government
He keep his mouth shut
Nobody know him
He P.R. guy yeah
Workin’ for the government
Love come around
He never feel a thing
He see right through it all he
Workin’ for the government
High places Low places
Man of influence
Mis-ter Invisible he
country My country
Gun for hire y’all
Mercenary 101 he
Workin’ for the government
He’s a pro-fessional
He James Bond y’all
He come from nowhere he
Workin’ for the government
Up town down town
Anywhere the chips come down he
Your town my town he
Workin’ for the government
Also from Buffy Sainte-Marie –
“He’s a Keeper of the Fire” slightly altered
He’s as heavy as a lead weight, baby
He’s as spinny as a wire
He’s a prophet of a new day, baby
He’s a keeper of the fire
He’s got a funny kinda voodoo, baby
You oughta see him at the zoo
He’s got a heavy kinda hoodoo, baby
And he can lay it on you
He can say it like an angel, baby
He can say it like a blowhorn
He can see a-seven devils, baby
And never even give a whole turn
Been haunted like a razor, baby
He’s been tested in the blood
He’s a walker on the hot shale, baby
And he’s a gaslighter to the crowd
I saw him drilliin’ in the valley, baby
I could see him through the dying trees
I saw him frackin” to the money there, baby
He was crawlin’ on his knees
He can play it like a rainbow, baby
He can play it like a clown
He can play it like a river, baby
And he can follow you down
He can make you a clown
Well have a great Sunday with family and friends and remember, they are only doing it for you…….Ha! Ha! Yeah, right…….
[Typo corrected at poster’s request]
Ooops typo, “here” rather than “hear” on the fourth line. Could that be corrected please?
Thanks.
[Corrected]
Sundays are such fun; thank you
P hilosophical
h illarious
i ngenious
l ikeable
C omposer!
🙂
Cheers Sherwulfe, Sundays are special. They all are in fact, all days should be sun days.
Returning the compliment Sherwulfe
S sensible
H hilarious
E exceptional
R rational
W witty
U unconventional
L likeable
F funny
E existential
☺
Cool Phil C. You rapped like bro.
FOE is in fact and NGO. TW, you are correct it is not a scientific charity but it is not a political party or lobbyist – do some more homework before you attack that which you clearly no little about; kettle and pot.
TW, FoE are running a campaigning business, they need to keep pushing out press releases in order to gain publicity & therefore more funds. I hope none of them have frosted or etched glass in their homes or offices, if they want to maintain any semblence of integrity about the industrial use of hydrofluoric acid. They really are pushing the boat out on this latest foray of stirring up chemophobia. Will they ban deoxyribonucleic acid? Do they know their onions? I think not.
Am afraid, as usual Dr Nick many letters, you attack values that you know nothing about; your small minded pop just proves you know nothing about the members of FOE.
Sherwulfe, Every time I see Grasmere I am reminded of their campaigning values.
blinkered
If FoE push to call for a total absolute ban on methane release into the environment and any incumbent government invoke such ban then I would take protest and go on strike or risk going to jail to protect my human right to fart in privately and freely without having to report my emission to FoE.
…that’s just silly TW….
Dont seem silly to FoE and the anti frackers.
Dont be shock when they do call for such ban.
sorry you did not understand I was refering to theis ‘or risk going to jail to protect my human right to fart in privately and freely without having to report my emission to FoE.’- very silly
Yes I did. Lol.
that so, am worried….it seems your alter ego has answered for you 🙂
I see that Sherwulfe now has a downer on education! So did Pol Pot.
With two thirds of the one third not being well informed on the subject of fracking it didn’t take long for an attempt to prevent them becoming better informed.
Transparent, and probably too late.
I now question your sanity…..
Independent base line monitoring report for Cuadrilla’s PNR site has been published. Probably the most monitored well(s) on the planet. This should be welcomed by all parties and will establish what the local impacts from these two wells really are. No speculation, no US linked scaremongering, just real data. Although I expect there will still be one or two on this BB who do not approve……
Click to access OR18020.pdf
A lot of information to digest.
Yes, a superficial glance shows it is ‘PRELIMINARY’. A bit sad if it can’t be in an ‘ISSUED’ state prior to fracking. Of course it will have been open to comments to people like David Smythe?
But even to a layman it is now an obviously guarded opinion as to the nature of the Sherwood to the west of the Woodsford. No categoric statement it is saline. Only that it is saline at the one sample borehole. Also a mysterious flow is now implied? Where does this come from? Also it now state’s it is too deep for use as if to say , it might be pure in parts? And since when Is that too deep? We might need it soon based on this summer’s rainfall…
Ahh, questions, but no answers from someone who tries to rubbish someone’s education but then makes up a “qualification” for his buddy!
Alternative.
Waffle without meaning; totally not about the article; have no idea what you are on about; different strokes for different folks it seems?
Affirmative.
The old insomnia playing tricks on your short term memory again Sherwulfe?
Read back through your own posts and it may refresh the parts that need refreshing. Or, is someone else posting for you?
Since when were your posts anything to do with “the article”? You might like to check that out at the same time.
Even the fog is patchy now.
Perhaps you would like to enlighten me oh ‘aged sage’? Perhaps you read on a higher plane? Maybe we should all bow down to your green bottle driven philosophy? Or not 😉
It seems there is prejudice against those who post ‘out of hours’….wondering….