Protest outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road on the first day of fracking, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Cuadrilla has confirmed it has started the first frack of a horizontal shale gas well today at its site at Preston New Road near Blackpool.
DrillOrDrop will be reporting from outside the site. Anti-fracking campaigners are already gathering at the gate to show their opposition.
Fracking equipment at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site near Blackpool, 13 October 2018. Photo: Ros Wills
The operation, which was cancelled on Saturday (13 October 2018) because of bad weather, is the first high volume hydraulic fracture since 2011. That operation, also by Cuadrilla in Lancashire, was
linked to earthquakes.
Under the terms of the planning permission, Cuadrilla can frack from 8am-6pm Monday-Friday and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.
The company will first frack the deeper of the two wells drilled at Preston New Road.
The well is at about 2,300m below the surface and the horizontal section runs for about 800m.
Cuadrilla will frack 45 stages of the first well, one each day, starting with the one furthest from the pad.
Stages are each 15-50m long and each will use up to 765m3 (765,000 litres) of hydraulic fracturing fluid and up to 75 tonnes (75,000 kg) of sand proppant. East frack is estimated to take 90 minutes, the company has said.
This reporting has been made possible by individual donations from DrillOrDrop readers
Update on charges
Lancashire Police confirmed that Esme North, of Devon, Henry Owen, of Oxford and David Eaton, of no fixed address, (one of the lock-on protesters) were charged with depositing a thing on the highway causing injury or danger and wilfully obstructing the highway. They were bailed to appear at Blackpool Magistrates Court on 30 October 2018. The second lock-on protesters was released with no further action.
Francis Egan, chief executive of Cuadrilla, BBC North West Tonight 15 October 2018
6.40pm “All going according to plan”
Francis Egan, Cuadrilla chief executive, tells BBC North West Tonight
“Everything is going to plan. It’s a slow start. We’ve started injecting fracturing fluid into the rock. About an hour and a half worth of pumping and then we stop the pumping and we monitor the response of the rock and our engineers assess that.
“It will take about three months to complete the entire fracturing process for both horizontal wells.
“To get a site to a production level takes two or three years and then it’s producing and you won’t know it’s there.
“Natural gas should be a part of Green Week or Green Year because it is an ideal transition fuel from where we are now to where renewables are 20-305 of electricity but a lot less of energy, to where we need to get to.
“What we’re doing is actually the only way we’re going to make progress whilst “keeping people warm in their homes and cooking their food.”
6.10pm “Real threat to communities
Barbara Richardson, chair of Roseacre Awareness Group, the community group opposing Cuadrilla’s proposed second site at Roseacre Wood, tells BBC North West Tonight:
“I think it’s a real threat to communities and I think you’ll find that communities are waking up, all across England, to the what harm this will bring to their community, to their environment and to climate. I think you’ll find that the opposition is growing day by day.
“This is the beginning but I think we’re going to a new stage and I think you’ll find there’ll be far more opposition.”
Susan Holliday, resident living near Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site, interviwed by BBC North West Tonight, 15 October 2018
6.05pm “Cuadrilla not wanted”
Susan Holliday, who lives close to Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site, tells BBC North West Tonight:
“I don’t want Cuadrilla there with their monstrous site. The local residents said no to the fracking and that’s how we remain.”
5.10pm “Government heading in completely wrong direction”
Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Europe and Food & Water Watch.
“Today’s first fracking operation in the UK in over seven years illustrates the UK government is heading in the completely wrong direction on climate change, while denying the rights of affected communities.
“The effects of climate change are already here. This summer’s drought had devastating results on European crop yields and threatened to lead to a UK food supply crisis. Unnatural disasters are occurring around the globe. It is deeply cynical that amidst these events we still talk about fracking in a country completely unsuitable for any form of it. The rights and health of people in Lancashire cannot be sacrificed for corporate interests.”
5.04pm Road contraflow lifted
Traffic flowing normally.
4.42pm Second surfer brought down
Protester brought to the ground outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site on the day fracking began. 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Removal of lorry surfer protester from van roof outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site on the day that fracking began, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
DrillOrDrop understands the two lorry surf protesters were charged with obstructing the highway and public nuisance.
4.28pm Surfer sits up and prepares to come down
Protester preparing to come down from van roof, outside Cuadrilla’s fracking site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Removal of protester from van roof outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site on the day fracking began, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
4.23pm Lock removed from remaining lorry surfer
Police remove u-bolt from Henry Owen, the remaining lorry surfer. Esme North, the surfer who came down voluntarily, is taken by police into custody.
4.10 One lorry surfer comes down
Esme North, the woman lorry surfer, comes down voluntarily.
Lorry surfer, Esme North, coming down from the roof of a van parked outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site on the day fracking starts, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
3.15pm Crane used in protester removal
Protester prepares to come down outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road on the first day of fracking, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Crane provided by Cuadrilla to assist in removal of protester outside the company’s Preston New Road shale gas site on the first day of fracking, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
A crane from the Cuadrilla site is used to stabilise the scaffolding tower. Local councillors ask for details of the police risk assessment
One of the protesters on the van roof, Henry Owen has been formally arrested. The paramedic and protester removal officer are on the top of the scaffolding tower.
2.30pm Drone flight overhead
Drone filming at Preston New Road on the day fracking started, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
2.30pm “Sad day for communities across the UK”
Barbara Richardson, chair of Roseacre Awareness Group, outside Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Barbara Richardson, chair of Roseacre Awareness Group, which opposes Cuadrilla’s planned at Roseacre Wood and Preston New Road:
“It is a really sad day for this community and for all communities. However, to us it has focused attention on this issued and it is obvious that more and more people are making a stand against potentially damaging industry.
“The battle may have been lost but this is just the start of another campaign. We are in it for the long haul and we will continue to support Preston New Road.
“People in an around Roseacre are particularly concerned and fear for their way of live and health. The fact that fracking has started here has focused attention and made them realise is this is real and is happening.”
2.20pm “Nothing more important to do with your life”
Cllr Gail Hodson outside Preston New Road fracking site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Cllr Gail Hodson, a member of West Lancashire Borough Council, says:
“This is the terrifying day we have been dreading for seven years. But we are not going anywhere. You can’t un-know what you know.
“There is no more important things to do with your life at the moment. Whatever route Cuadrilla take, we will resist them and we will win. It is not for no reason that fracking is banned in Wales, Scotland, North Ireland and Ireland, New York State and various other countries.
“The government is underestimating the resistance to this unnecessary industry when the route should be be a renewable route. What is this government thinking apart from vested interests, pressure and infiltration?”
2.16pm “Fracking is sledgehammer through climate targets”
Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, says:
“The Government is backing frackers to put a sledgehammer through our climate targets. Just days after the UN warned we have 12 years to face climate catastrophe fracking has started in Britain for the first time in seven years. Marking the start of Green GB Week with the start of fracking is rank hypocrisy.
“This proves just how deeply the filth of fossil fuels runs through our political establishment. The Government has forced fracking on Lancashire after the community said no and now drilling has started before all their concerns have been fully heard or answered.
“Public support for fracking is in freefall and the anti-fracking movement will continue to go from strength to strength. To tackle the scale of climate breakdown ministers must commit to keeping fossil fuels in the ground where they belong, and investing instead in a renewable revolution for the future.”
2.15pm “Increasing numbers realise they have to do something”
Cllr Gina Dowding outside Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Green Party Lancashire County Councillor, Gina Dowding, says
“It is a bad day for the war against climate breakdown. But the number fo people here shows this is just the start of the real campaign against this industry.
“The irony of the situation is that only a week ago the IPCC said just how serous was the need for action. Increasing numbers of people are realising they have to do more and are joining this campaign up and down the county.
“So when Nathalie Bennett was here on Saturday, she said ‘we are witnessing a climate crime’. When the police try to corral protesters, the real crime is taking place on the other side of the fence.
“I am absolutely confident that we will win because there is not even an economic argument for this industry anymore and the government and business are going to realise that quite quickly.”
2.10pm “Start of fracking in Green GB week”
Green Party MEP Keith Taylor links government-backed fracking with Green Great Britain week.
1.45pm “Deep disappointment”
A spokeswoman for the Preston New Road community group says:
“We are deeply disappointed that despite many ongoing concerns and challenges, the decision to progress fracking at this time has been taken.
“Over 100,000 people objected to this fracking application. In addition, our parish council, Fylde Borough Council and Lancashire County Council rejected the application. They had a duty of care to local residents and they fulfilled that duty. [1]
“The wishes and democratic decisions of our community have been ignored by the government in favour of an industry that does nothing to enhance our climate or environment.
“There are now hundreds of scientific studies [2]that have already identified risks and actual harms resulting from fracking. The UK government have blatantly ignored them all.”
1.40pm “Resistance will only get stronger”
North West Friends of the Earth tweets:
“Local communities have led the movement against fracking in Lancashire and up and down the country. As much-delayed fracking sadly gets underway, the resistance to climate-wrecking fossil fuels will only get bigger!
1.20pm “Morally bankrupt”
Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth chief executive, said:
“The world’s leading climate scientists have published findings that couldn’t be starker: to have a hope of containing global warming we must take action now.
“Yet, ironically, on the same day the government boldly asks how it can reduce carbon emissions to zero, fracking begins. It is morally bankrupt to be heralding the start of a whole new fossil fuel industry when climate catastrophe awaits. You can deal with climate change or you can have fracking – you can’t do both.”
“They’ve been trying to frack in Lancashire for over seven years but people power has kept this dirty industry at bay. Now, because the industry has failed to take-off, the government wants to fast-track fracking and make it easier to drill across the English countryside. We’ll keep campaigning until fracking is stopped here and everywhere.”
1.15pm Cuadrilla says fracking has started
A statement from Cuadrilla says:
“Cuadrilla is pleased to confirm that it has started hydraulic fracturing operations at our Preston New Road shale gas exploration site. Hydraulic fracturing of both horizontal exploration wells is expected to last three months after which the flow rate of the gas will be tested.”
There’s a subdued response to the news outside the site. Campaigners cheer the protesters who are still on top of a van in the entrance. Some cars passing the site hoot in support of the opponents.
approx 1pm Road reopens
Sadie and Dave, the two people who locked themselves together outside the farm run by the owner of Cuadrilla’s shale gas site, are cut out and arrested. They are charged with causing a public nuisance. The road reopens with a contraflow.
11.30am Van surfer locks neck with u-bolt
Henry Owen, one of the campaigners on top of a van outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site locks his neck to the scaffolding structure as a member of the police protester removal team climbs the tower to talk to him.
Campaigner locks on by his neck to the structure on a van outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Campaigner locks on by his neck to the structure on a van outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Police protester removal team at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site on the day fracking starts, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
10.45am Police cutting out lock-on protesters
A police protester removal team is releasing campaigners who locked-on outside the farm run by the owner of Cuadrilla’s shale gas site.
10.40am Camera crews interview protesters
Protest outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road on the first day of fracking, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
10.39am Cuadrilla clarifies A J Lucas statement
A J Lucas made a statement early this morning that hydraulic fracturing stimulation had commenced. A spokesperson for Cuadrilla confirms
“I can see why it may be misinterpreted however they meant the HF operations ie including running the tools into the well which is part of the hydraulic fracturing operations to the industry. And we did start that on Saturday once the winds died down.
“I can confirm we did not actually fracture any rock on Saturday – that will start today.”
9.55am Protester removal team building scaffolding tower
Protester removal team at Preston New Road protest, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
9.40am Campaigner locks on
Esme North, one protester on top of a van blocking the entrance of Cuadrilla’s shale gas site, locks on to a scaffolding structure. The protester removal team begins unloading equipment.
Lock-on protest on top of vehicle outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
9.20am Police protester removal team arrive
8.30am Four police vans at the site entrance
Protest outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road on the day that fracking is due to start, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Reclaim the Power protest outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
8am Permitted time for the start of fracking
Under the terms of planning permission, Cuadrilla can frack between 8am and 6pm at the Preston New Road site
Entrance of Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
7.30am Road closed because of protest
Police have closed Preston New Road between the turning to Wrea Green and the B&Q roundabout. They said this was because of the protest outside the landowner’s farm.
Van surfing protest outside Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
Van surfing protest outside Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site, 15 October 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop
7am Lock on protest outside landowner’s farm
Two people lock themselves together on one side of the A583, outside the farm run by the owner of Cuadrilla’s site.
Lock-on protest outside the farm of the owner of the Preston New Road site at about 7am, 15 October 2018. Photo: Richard Marshall
Lock-on protest outside the farm of the owner of the Preston New Road site at about 7am, 15 October 2018. Photo: Richard Marshall
4.30am Lorry surfing protest at site gates
Anti-fracking campaigners take part in lorry surfing protest outside Cuadrilla’s site entrance, at about 6am,, 15 October 2018. Photo: Eddie Thornton
The campaign group, Reclaim the Power, said it was carrying out the protest. Charlie Edwards, for the group said:
“Today the government have launched their “Green Great Britain” week – a tokenistic attempt to hide a series of climate wrecking decisions such as expanding Heathrow airport and forcing fracking on the local communities.
“After granting permission to frack earlier in the summer, last week Energy Minister had the hypocrisy to say there was “no excuse” for inaction on climate change. So we’re here today to stop the start of fracking, and show Claire Perry what real action on climate change looks like”.
Henry Owen, one of the people locked on, said:
“Claire Perry has referred to the opposition to fracking as a ‘travelling circus’, but the only joke here is Cuadrilla and the government thinking that fracking at Preston New Road is a win for the industry.
“There’s no way that these companies will reach their requirements of thousands of wells when a single site has been met by this much local and national resistance. Fracking at Preston New Road is just a desperate attempt to snatch profit and save face as the industry dies. Local people have been leading the resistance for years. We know we’re winning and across the UK more people are still saying no to fracking”.
Protest outside Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road at about 6am as the company prepares for the UK’s first high volume frack since 2011, 15 October 2018. Photo: Eddie Thornton
1.30am A J Lucas press release says fracking started
A press statement from one of Cuadrilla’s major funders, the Australian mining group, A J Lucas, said hydraulic fractures stimulation started over the weekend. This appears to contradict the statement made by a Cuadrilla spokesperson on Saturday (DrillOrDrop report).
This reporting was made possible by individual donations from DrillOrDrop readers
Categories: Industry
DRILL OR DROP? 
On to a more serious issue:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/15/climate-change-to-cause-dramatic-beer-shortages-extreme-weather-price
This is very worrying – I am now 100% behind renewables and we should stop using fossil fuels from tomorrow.
Go on then…
‘I am now 100% behind renewables and we should stop using fossil fuels from tomorrow’
You are on the right track as Gas gets left behind. The illusive CCS makes no odds. Gas is going.
Government source
The overall demand for gas including heating gradually decreases and is replaced by renewables.
Natural gas use is projected to fall by 24% between 2016 and 2035. Currently, the amount of natural gas used for electricity generation approximately equals that used for cooking and heating in households. However, the amount of gas used for electricity generation is projected to decrease by 70% whereas the amount used by households is projected to increase by around 17% over this period.
By 2035 renewables will be producing 180 TWh of electric generation whereas gas will only be producing 40 TWh.
After 2025 our import requirements will be dropping
UK’s largest battery storage now installed
https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/3035576/uks-largest-grid-battery-storage-facility-completed-in-hertfordshire
Helping South Africa to install batteries to store renewable power
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2018/08/30/africa-uk-announces-56-million-for-battery-storage-support-for-solar/
John P
Good to see battery technology moving on.
Also good to see the UK helping a sun drenched country with solar power, a country well endowed with coal rather than oil or gas. Maybe bettervtompoint them in the right direction.
Better to concentrate on wind here in the UK, especially offshore wind. Scotland of course is going full steam ahead with onshore wind, bring less poulated, and having lots of juicy sites to pop them on.
However Turbine watch 312 is not so enamoured, nor wind watch with the report … tortured by turbines! I guess building over 300km of roads plus pads across the hillsides ( plus some deforestation to ensure nothing to slow the wind ) can be called industrialisation on a scale never seen before. These are not old industrial,areas like the rother valley where the industry has gone, but the population remains.
But good access for tourists I guess, tho I have not tested the Galloway wind turbine roads. The ones built for the Glens of Foudland Site were very clear … no walkers wanted ..get lost..expect to be prosecuted. A.though that was a while ago and maybe it is all ok now.
I do not mind onshore wind, and a few hundred turbines overlooking Manchester ( off the cat and fiddle maybe ) would not come amiss. If the view is good enough for Sutton on Sea and Skegness ( or Rhyl and Colwyn Bay ), then good for that part of the country. I must check out the Labour Party manifesto re onshore wind targets and maybe location.
Or maybe offhore wind is better….out of sight and out of mind, and not affecting the English tourist industry ( and no need for third party insurance when tourism drops off due to a surfeit of turbines .. just to cross reference a concern ). Tho Rhyl look like it should have a claim in against offshore wind ( or any cheap flight company maybe ).
Singing the Praises of bloody wind turbines & neglecting to mention the noise pollution these things generate you would not wan,t to live near one. then there is the harm to the wild life as birds are killed by the blades in no small number. & I won,t even bother to go into the oil based products that used to build the things in the first place.
‘ I won,t even bother to go into the oil based products that used to build the things in the first place’
Go ahead. You really should. You sound like you know your stuff on wind energy.
Please prove that wind turbines use more energy to produce than they generate. Facts and figures. Also noise emissions relevant to distance.
.
Gasman
Talking recently to some residents of Dumfries and Galloway who think turbines are the spawn of the devil. Some even that it is all an SNP plot to make them pay for voting conservative!
Some support it all.
Plus lots on here about Perry having strings to the fossil fuel Industry, but nothing about strings to the wind industry which no doubt prefers open sea to pesky onshore sites, where people campaign against it and applications are refused ( even in Scotland ).
Clearly ( or as some say on DOD, as any intelligent person would know ) offshore wind, while a tad more expensive and more difficult to maintain, is much easier to pop in place and replace ( the cable work and substations which are a key component will last for more than 25 years ). Plus no one bothers about the size of the turbine, noise and there are somewhat less birds.
And, as the 1.5c climate report notes, we need to plant 3.9 million sq miles of trees.
As any intelligent person would know, you do not plant trees offshore. How many trees have been cut down in Scotland for wind farms, and how many trees could be on the roads built to the wind farms? Plus how many trees could be planted on the large mirror farms surrounding the major oak?
However, I must declare an interest in wind. A relative by marriage makes money servicing them, not that I benefit. So I cannot be impartial can I, according to the tabloids!
“Cuadrilla says fracking has started”!!!
Interesting that they need to let people know. I did expect Armageddon to arrive without having to be told.
Just a note about the relationship between U.K. gas supply and coal use in electricity generation.
The recent National Grid’s Winter Outlook says that over the last three years, gas-fired electricity generation has generally been more profitable than coal-fired generation. But March last year saw a reversal of this pattern for a short period of time, gas prices increased dramatically after cold weather.
In this situation we get to see some fuel switching in the electricity market. This has influenced the Grid’s forecast for gas-fired generation over the winter period. As a result, we anticipate there will be periods of time when it will be MORE PROFITABLE TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY FROM COAL THAN GAS.
In other words, if you restrict gas supply you get coal.
Coal currently generating 50% more electricity than wind (and 100% more than solar as it is dark) 1915hrs. Gas 10x as much as wind….and demand is farly low.
But in the words of JP, North Sea gas, Norwegian gas and LNG from Qatar (and presumably) US are so cheap UK shale will never be competitive……
But in the words of JP, North Sea gas, Norwegian gas and LNG from Qatar (and presumably) US are so cheap UK shale will never be competitive……
nor needed
See above for UK Government report on the reduction of our gas needs.
Once OPEC has forced the US to bury it’s own economy with high energy costs the price will drop however,
Oil prices High…….North sea gas, Norwegian gas cheaper than UK shale
Oil prices low………North sea gas, Norwegian gas cheaper than UK shale
Shalewatcher
Only until the coal fired plants close ( as per plan ). Not long to go! And the power companies may close them early if anything goes wrong ( major breakdown ) as repairing them would not be worth the bother.
And not a lot to replace that uninterruptible supply.
But I see that Ratcliffe is stocking up, large piles of coal which may have been bought on the cheap, and is now stocked ready for a cold winter.
But it is just the end story for coal on the UK I guess.
Some people need to open their eyes The Uk is a tiny insignificant speck on the planet Yet we have all these lunatics ranting about global warming if we turned off everything & sat shivering in our homes we would make less than 1% difference to global warming Especially as china is still building coal fired power stations with no carbon capture at all So if you realy wan,t to make a difference go to china & protest there.
‘In other words, if you restrict gas supply you get coal’
or
If you don’t maximise on your renewable potential you are a fool
John
It means that coal is burned rather than gas, while renewables are used as they turn up.
It is a battle between coal and gas, which gas will win as coal fired power stations have to close.
So, invest in gas, as soon it will hold more of a monopoly position when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine.
Or uninterruptible supply such as hydro ( drax is investing in gas and hydro I see).
Watched BBC NW Tonight. At last the local BBC have brought in some balance & actually interview geologists & Francis Egan & not just protestors. Pity no mention that Lancashire is well placed, geologically, to decarbonise fossil fuels via Carbon Capture & Storage – decarbonising gas is a routine process via steam reforming & the huge offshore Morecambe Bay Gas fields (now depleting) could be suitable sites for CO2 disposal. I also see shale gas as an opportunity for upgrading biogas & for extracting geothermal energy – once the production wells go into the long tail of lower production.
Nick – far too technical for the BBC North West Team and most posters on this BB. I recall Tullow UK were looking at this when I worked with them in Africa. They were looking at injecting CO2 into one or more of their southern gas fields. Some sort of Government led CC innovation competition. The main issue will be metallurgy which will may preclude the use of a lot of existing infrastructure and make it very expensive.
Paul, Thanks for your reply (I think the antis might have sent me to Coventry). Morecambe Bay N has 10% CO2 in its gas production, so I would expect the engineering is already designed to cope with the issues around CO2.
Nick, it should be okay as the CO2 being injected will be very dry and the corrosion problem only arises with H2O present – which there always is with bound water in the producing wells before the gas can be dried / water removed. Also I believe one of the Morecambe Bay fields produces multi phase directly to the shore, near Barrow. So this pipeline at least must have the correct metallurgy for CO2 assuming this field also has CO2. The old Hamilton Brothers field in Liverpool Bay has H2S and possibly CO2 (?) but probably not the pressure rating for gas injection.
Paul. Nick
You could also look at the( then ) proposed CO2 sequestration scheme for BP Miller / Peterhead Power Station.
The project foundered, inter alia, when the gov decided not to progress with the subsidy, but the metallurgical issues of transporting high pressure CO2 back to the platform and hence injected were ramping up the price.
This for a platform and dedicated pipeline to Peterhead Power Station ( High H2S as well, hence heavily engineered to boot ).
But, just an angineering issue, plus cash?
Well done to the guys who are heros for our environment
You’re most welcome Rev T.
They will offer to take you up to the top of the rig and show you all their world and offer it to you if only you worship them Rev T Ticking?
But of course, you know that don’t you? As do we.
No doubt we all eagerly await the release of today’s seismic activity on the Cuadrilla portal (10.00 am tomorrow? ) and also keep a sharp eye on the BGS earthquake portal.
How will it go
Days since last tremor
Or
Last tremor free day.
I see a spread sheet in the offing as no doubt some will want > 0.5 logged, others that which can be felt.
I suspect that the earth moving quakes will be just as much political and urgently scientific and much more far reaching?
Such earth moving quakes tend to have a much more permanent effect than significant geological seismic events, 0.5 or greater on the Perry scale.
Though such earth moving quakes may well be yet another significant trigger?
The investors will want to see a spread sheet with a bit more than seismic values.
They will want to see gas flows relevant to seismic.
Remember, low seismic equals low gas returns. Not much point in that if you have poured money into the idea.
UK shale. Not a compelling option.
John Powney
I am sure investors are interested in gas yeild to determine if the business is worthwhile, but, looking at the comments on DOD, they do not bother to post here.
Plus, low seismic activity needs defining. Is that small activity over an extended time scale, or higher seismic activity over a shorter period of time? Longer hire times for a frack spread would indeed cost more for a given amount of fracking achieved I guess.
Meanwhile …
The amount of gas recovered will not be known for a while, but seismic activity data is available daily.
It can be matched to the monthly Environmental data as well no doubt.
I suspect that most will draw conclusions without waiting for any information on gas yeild.
I see that some think frack fluid has already leaked to the local aquifer, others that all water sources in the fylde have been polluted. I also note from the liaison committee minutes that some have written in to that body saying that
1. The well pad has subsided
2. The area around the well pad ( including the pad ) has risen.
So maybe good to look at some real data.
You are correct hewes62, investors that are often referred to, seem to have better things to do than spend their time on DoD. Perhaps they were excited by reading that cheap oil and gas were sloshing around the world markets, and have gone off to look for some?
Now that the actual fracking process has commenced at Preston New Road, the fracking fluids injected into the well, the inevitable consequence is that a percentage of the injected fluids will make their way into the water table.
Not necessarily today or tomorrow but eventually. More fracking, more fluids escaping, more contamination into the water table.
Peter – Please explain:
1) Why is it inevitable?
2) How do the injected fluids make their way into the water table (the mechanical / physical mechanism, how gravity is defied etc.)
Thank you.
How do the injected fluids make their way into the water table.
Ask the BGS. These are their findings from the PH report
8. The potential for upward fluid migration is considered low. In the worst case, fluid could migrate along the fault plane, but this would be limited due to the presence of impermeable formations above the Bowland shale.
from the same report
There is no evidence to suggest that the causative fault is unique and knowledge of faulting in the basin is poor, so it is quite possible that there are many such faults throughout the basin.
Then of course all wells eventually corrode and then leak.
Add that together and then multiply by hundreds of wells. Add unknown cumulative effect from multiple wells and you can see that water table pollution at some point is inevitable.
“but this would be limited due to the presence of impermeable formations above the Bowland shale”.
What does this mean John?
“Then of course all wells eventually corrode and then leak.”
This is not correct but even if it was how do the injected fluids make their way into the water table (the mechanical / physical mechanism, how gravity is defied etc.)?
Thanks John (are you also Peter Roberts?)
Thanks to Lois W Allstadt, executive vice president of Mobil with unlimited access to specialists in rock mechanics.
“But there are already cases where the methane gas has made it up into the aquifers and atmosphere. Sometimes through old well bores, sometimes through natural fissures in the rock. What we don’t know is just how much gas is going to come up over time”
“There’s still some pressure down there even though it’s not enough pressure to be commercially produced. And sooner or later the steel casing there is going to rust out, and the cement sooner or later is going to crumble”
“And there is at least one study showing that 100 percent of plugs installed in abandoned wells fail within 100 years and many of them much sooner”
https://truthout.org/articles/former-mobil-vp-warns-of-fracking-and-climate-change/
Your grasp of rock mechanics is very impressive!
This is for Mr Roberts.
London School Of Economics.
Fracking in the UK: how could a technologically advanced society choose to destroy itself ?
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2018/10/16/fracking-in-the-uk-how-could-a-technologically-advanced-society-choose-to-destroy-itself/
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2018/10/15/fracking-begins-near-our-ancestral-holiday-resort-blackpool-and-far-too-close-to-the-scottish-border/?fbclid=IwAR3WTa4y0Vq_9ji4LIjUtScC-hceAN3jeb1sh7YJuGhFwfbLRMN0teKx5EE
… also see related Huffington Post item “How 10 Years of Fracking Has Been a Disaster for Our Water, Land and Climate”
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/margie-alt/how-10-years-of-fracking_b_9806768.html