Lock-on protest outside West Newton drilling site in East Yorkshire, 3 June 2019. Photo: Darren Dennett
Two protesters have blocked the road outside Rathlin Energy’s exploration site at West Newton in East Yorkshire for about 20 hours.
The pair locked their arms together through a reinforced concrete tube on Pipers Lane, the road leading to the site.
The protest began at about 4am this morning.
Police have not attempted to release the protesters or make arrests.
Operations at the site have continued. Rathlin Energy is drilling a second well at the site to explore for oil and gas.
Lock-on protest outside West Newton drilling site in East Yorkshire, 3 June 2019. Photo: Darren Dennett
Update: The protesters were released by a specialist police team at about 2am on 5 June.
Protest outside Rathlin Energy’s West Newton oil and gas exploration site in East Yorkshire, 10 May 2019. Photo: Used with the owner’s consent
This is the most recent of a series of protests staged by opponents of operations at the West Newton site.
Last month, a lock-on protest in the site entrance continued for more than 50 hours. Two people were later charged with obstructing the highway and obstructing a police officer (details).
In April, another lock-on protest closed the road to the well pad for eight hours. Police left the scene in mid afternoon and the road reopened when the protesters released themselves. There were no arrests (details).
Categories: protest
DRILL OR DROP? 
“Operations at the site have continued. Rathlin Energy is drilling a second well at the site to explore for oil and gas.”
What are they protesting about? Perhaps they want to ensure they are never employed again? Perhaps that is what they want? Perhaps they want to be MEPs?
Good job there are some police about to stop them being run over in the dark! LOL.
Meanwhile in the real world:
“Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon surged last month to the highest May level since the current monitoring method began, prompting concerns that president Jair Bolsonaro is giving a free pass to illegal logging, farming and mining.
The world’s greatest rainforest – which is a vital provider of oxygen and carbon sequestration – lost 739sq km during the 31 days, equivalent to two football pitches every minute, according to data from the government’s satellite monitoring agency.”
[Image removed due to copyright concerns]
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by the second highest annual rise in the past six decades, according to new data.
Atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gas were 414.8 parts per million in May, which was 3.5ppm higher than the same time last year, according to readings from the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii, where carbon dioxide has been monitored continuously since 1958.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/04/latest-data-shows-steep-rises-in-co2-for-seventh-year
Perhaps the “protesters” might be better locking on in Brazil or China or India or Indonesia rather than serving no useful purpose at an onshore conventional exploration well which, if successful, will reduce UK imports and the associated transportaion climate impacts?
The PARTY’S OVER on planet earth.
YES , the world is in a mess PAUL TRESTO and the Very Near Future is looking even more bleak .
‘High likelihood of human civilisation coming to end’ by 2050, report finds.
( Independent Newspaper 04/06/19 )
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-global-warming-end-human-civilisation-research-a8943531.html?amp
Deforestation is part of the problem along with the continuing world population growth .
BUT the real elephabt in the room , is the continued burning of fossil fuels and the obscene way in which we waste energy in general, means that the problem of energy security will always be at the head of the table ….. This in turn will give rise to madcap , desperate ideas like fracking….
I accept that there is a need for fossil fuels in our society, but if we are to have a hope in hells chance of changing the catastrophic problems society faces in the very near future , we need to obtain as much of our energy as possible from renewable sources and tackle energy wastage RIGHT NOW .
Paul Tresto. You’re right. All of the above are a tragedy. All the more reason not to start up yet another fossil fuel industry whilst deterring renewable alternatives.
By “yet another fossil fuel industry” I assume you mean oil and gas? It may surprise you that UK onshore has been producing exactly that since the 19th century – from shale in Scotland. If renewables were reliable and competitive we would have no need for hydrocarbons. Google what hydrocarbons are used for and get back to us on how you intend to replace them. People / choices / reliability / limitations / cost are deterring renewables. Evolving middle classes in China / Asia / India etc are deterring renewables because they do not satisfy demand. Better off to plant lots of trees, change agricultural practices and stay with gas until viable alternatives are available and we can move onto these in a timely and efficient manner. Which is what is actually happening in the UK at least.
What are your thoughts on Norway? Highest take up of electric cars in Europe, 100% renewable green hydro energy, sovereign wealth fund divested from oil and gas, largest oil and gas producer in Europe, increasing exploration and production as fast as possible, licensing Arctic blocks for exploration? Perhaps Greta should have a word?
Well then Jack, better remove all those solar panels from UK as the climate is not suitable to make them work efficiently-or, shall we just leave them until the climate changes??!! All that energy wasted manufacturing something that is so inefficient. What next? Fridges made in EU and transported to the Antarctic to stop the Penguins melting?
But, good old UK is to be reforested-so no room for on shore wind turbines. Good job a few fracking and conventional sites could still be squeezed in amongst the trees.
If you want to do something RIGHT NOW, how about dealing with a new coal mine the size of the UK to be opened in Australia to supply China? Somewhat dwarfs anything UK might do. Why is the mine being authorised? Because the MAJORITY didn’t support the policies being advocated by one party and so refused to vote for them. Perhaps you should pop over and tell them off?
Well MARTIN , I’m not sure what planet your broadcasting from , but here on planet earth , we are in a mess .
Remember MARTIN , you can’t eat , drink or breath paper ( money )….. . In a world of climate breakdown chaos and the nightmare such an event will bring on the human race, as highlighted in the above and below link from the Indepebdant Newspaper 05/06/19 …….. A wheelbarrow FULL of your paper money won’t be worth a potato ….. ALL people will suffer .
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-global-warming-end-human-civilisation-research-a8943531.html?amp
As far as your children’s playground game of always pointing to someone or something worse , I can only thank you for the nostalgic memories ……. When I was a child , I use to use that trick on my mother when I had done something wrong . I always would try and minimise my naughty deed by pointing to someone who had done far worse .
Jack – Kenya alert!!!! This is what you are up against. Don’t waste your time blogging to me and Martin – do something useful and head down to Kenya….
You had better get down there quickly:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48503020
“Campaigners in Kenya who fear their country is turning its back on its green goals are hoping to stop construction of a coal plant that would increase greenhouse gas emissions by 700%.
Activists in Kenya are marking World Environment Day with a protest against plans to build the country’s first coal-fired power station.
At least two-thirds of Kenya’s electricity is currently generated by renewable resources and it has pledged to reduce its small carbon footprint by nearly a third over the next decade.
But the planned power station to be built by Chinese contractors with borrowed money would increase emissions by a factor of seven – and Kenya would have to import the coal.”
Oh dear!
Meanwhile that wheelbarrow of money is small fry compared to the $125 BILLION Shell will return to investors between 2021 and 2025, much of it to pensioners. So, perhaps when you have returned from China you could explain to them your cunning plan that they will not have the income they expected, so even more of them will die from fuel poverty related diseases. Not sure that Tesla will still be around to pick up the slack by 2021, and if they are, doubtful, based upon recent performance, that many pensions will be funded from their dividends.
A carbon zero UK would be likely to adjust global temperature by 2040 by the huge figure of 0.005 degrees. Not really going to make that much difference to the functioning of solar panels is it?
Naughty deeds? You must be after some sort of redemption but if so why not address the real issues rather than just try and deflect from them? Perhaps one solution would be to get a company like Shell to decarbonise some of their output, maintain their benefits to a large number of people and make a real difference. I would suggest it is not accidental that Norway is progressing rapidly regarding alternative energy sources due to the fact it is utilising the revenue from oil and gas. You, like many antis, seem to think UK will do the same but without the revenue from oil and gas but instead from the tax payers. You missed the point I was making regarding Australia in that respect-the taxpayers/voters tend to react against that.
MARTIN and PAUL , I’m sure there are millions of people in their own countries doing their own bit to fight against the barbaric and insane policies that are destroying the planet and all that live and breath on it .
I can only do my bit in my own backyard ( THE UK ) in the limited time I have left on this planet….. I would indeed like to be in all places at all times if I possibly could, educating and fighting just causes . Maybe one day if Teleportation becomes a reality, until then I will continue here.
MY point is simple MARTIN ……. Whether people like it or not , change has to happen ….. We have stop burning fossil fuels and manage what we do burn more responsibly and yes there will be pain as we diversify away from fossil fuels, but it has to be done .
I know for some who don’t give a toss about life on earth , for people and animals now and in future , the lure of money will supersede all other worldly problems . That type of people we should all despise .
The truth is, the easy times, or should I say the party’s over on planet earth. We’ve trashed the planet enough and now it’s pay back time . Difficult decisions will have to be taken …… Like I said , you can’t eat , drink and breath paper money, and during the time when society breaks down and goes in to total chaos, your buckets full of paper cash won’t be worth a carrot.
Lets get this in to perspective regarding fuel poverty MARTIN , with runaway climate change MILLIONS , maybe BILLIONS will die .
MARTIN your continued obsession with Tesla is quite worrying. Why you are so negative against an American company, employing American people is beyond me …. Are you anti American MARTIN ?????
I wouldn’t send any of your negative American business tweets to Donald Trump if I were you .
My advice for Shell would be to change course and move in to the renewable business ASAP …… BE the first to jump in feet first , don’t wait for others to take the plunge. As the saying goes ” If you see a bandwagon it’s too late ” Maybe in jumping in first, the rewards for Shell shareholders could be vast and plentiful.
The real issue is population growth. Unless that is tackled everything else is p…ing in the wind!
That’s true DANIEL ,
It’s not just one problem that needs resolving….
Although members of the forum may differ in their opinions on Fracking in its current form , probably most if not all feel that some change is needed to tackle climate change …… We just differ as to which is the main cause , the best solution and which should be made number one priority .
Population control must be one of the top three.
Except West Newton is NOT fracking Jack!
So, a bit of a red herring there.
But, the Chinese are suggesting fracking with CO2, so that could be an interesting dilemma for the antis-carbon capture achieved via fracking! Funny how things are not quite as black and white as some would propose.
MARTIN ,
I NEVER said Fracking was going to take place at the West Newton site .
So No ” red herring there “
“I can only do my bit”.
Good for you Jack. You admit fossil fuels will continue to be used in your previous post, so do your bit and just substitute imported with home produced. UK has the ability to do that, many do not. Why should UK not do their bit? Carbon footprint IMMEDIATELY improved. Greta happy that a step has been taken against creative carbon accounting.
So, what is the problem with that? UK production that supplies tax revenue for whatever-more alternative investment, more social care, removal of fuel poverty etc.
Your dogma seems to be more important than making progress.
Tesla?? No, I have worked for two American owned companies. But, they both made a profit without continuous borrowing and sacking staff to try and make their product work. When those sort of issues are solved you may find the population embrace such, until then subsidising something which people then find doesn’t work for them will just maintain the status quo. You may feel you can impose your dogma upon others to pay for, but recent decisions, like a lost election in Australia, would tend to simply prove it will result in a backlash.
If you antis can’t do your bit it is a little rich to try and dictate others already doing their bit just have to do a bit more and will still end up with a reduced pension! Or, perhaps, you could find a quick replacement for $125 BILLION?
(By the way Jack, May in UK was one of the coolest recorded for decades. Even after the Beast from the East I was cutting roses around two weeks earlier last year. I can not give a link for that, but I cut roses each year to place on a memorial on 30th May. How long before the “projections” require amendment?)
Martin. The flaw in your ” home grown gas ” argument is that any gas produced here won’t neccessarily be destined for use in this country anyway. The gas will belong to the various companies and they have already said it will be sold on the open market to the highest bidder. It will therefore just increase the amount of gas that will inevitably be burnt somewhere.
Pauline – try and learn about material balance and then you might have a chance of understanding these issues
Supply and demand. Global gas production can be increased instantly by opening up wellhead chokes in many gas fields in many countries. Production satisfies demand.
You are deluding yourself if you think UK onshore will ever export gas. It will displace imports. And imports will drop further as demand drops and we transition to alternatives over the next 30 years or so.
MARTIN ,
‘RE – TESLA
TESLA employs American people on a Green, Environmentally friendly project. The skills learnt by Tesla employees will be high tech, high skilled and extremely useful for a changing world .
As far as FRACKING employment goes , let’s look at the Cuadrillas PNR site ….. Eleven , yes I did say eleven permanent jobs were said to be on offer if the company got in to full production . How many of those would be minimum rates of pay, LOW SKILLED security guard jobs , 8 , 9 , 10 ????????
American FRACKING companies collectively are over 240,000,000,000 US dollars in debt ….. A uncontrollable debt which is growing by the day …… It’s a complete disaster and thats in a country with almost ZERO fracking regulations …. Guess who is going to be saddled with this enormous debt , that’s right , you guessed it, the hard pressed American tax payer .
AND you MARTIN want to duplicate that over here in the UK, no thanks …..
I would bet you anything you like , that if you put it to the British public which they would prefer to part subsidise. ( A ) a high tech , high skilled GREEN company like Tesla, that is on the edge of great things, as more and more people aknowlege the need to reduce CO2 emissions ………. OR ( B ) a highly polluting , climate destroying , public health risk project like FRACKING ..
I think you will find the answer would be a very simple one.
Yes, the answer would start with $125 BILLION, Jack. Or, you could Giggle recent huge investments into US fracking by global businesses.
“Tesla on the edge”-you could have finished there Jack, which is where most analysts place them. Rather than looking at AJL share prices take a look at Tesla share prices and analyses of forward projections. Having ideas and making them work economically are somewhat different. Remember Concorde?
The answer to your question regarding the British public is already out there as shown by their current (mainly) rejection of electric vehicles. Goodness, even delayed reaction can’t be convinced to change off his 3 litre BMW diesel, with the large carbon footprint even before it arrived in the UK!
Debt seems to be a bit of an issue to you. I remember nonsense about debt regarding INEOS just before some information emerged regarding their very strong financials. Most debt in business is a sign that the financial institutions see the business as a sound investment Jack-just like the household debt that is a mortgage. The problem with debt is only a problem if it can not be repaid. Other than that most of the trade throughout the world is conducted via debt, which is good news for the UK and the City of London.
But, as you are so worried about limited employment by Cuadrilla, there is a very simple solution Jack! I suspect you might see that after 31st October. Patience.
MARTIN ,
WRONG AGAIN ,
For any company like Shell to take the Bull By The Horns and fully embrace green energy sources at this time, may well be one of the smartest moves they could ever make. There is a real appetite now for clean green , non polluting energy sources with the general public….
The PUBLIC are taking note of WARNINGS from experts of regarding the chaos that CLIMATE BREAKDOWN will have on society ….. You will find that normal people do care about their children’s future on this planet ..
HERE AGAIN ,IS ONE SUCH WARNING
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-global-warming-end-human-civilisation-research-a8943531.html?amp
ALthough that being said, I do acknowledge there will still be a handful of very bitter shale investors who will try and push O&G now matter how damaging it is shown to be.
Talking about Ineos, is this the same company that you talk about ??????
http://www.feasta.org/2016/06/11/jim-ratcliffe-ineos-and-the-empire-of-trash/
Let’s forget about AJ Lucas , as a majority investor in Cuadrilla ( fracking company ) they are already on their knees financially .
Then there’s Igas , another company that wants to frack in the UK, that’s also on it’s knees financially ..
As far as your comments on the financial viability of TESLA go . The electric car is the future…. ALL PEOPLE acknowledge , accept and embrace that . TESLA are in tune with the future demands. Therefore such a company will grow in strength along with OTHER well known leading car manufacturers who also see the potential of electric vehicles and who now also intend to start full scale production ….
The only thing holding electric vehicles back is price ……. BUT just like the eye watering cost of the VHS video recorder when it first came out , the prices will sharply fall as production costs become cheaper .
MARTIN ,
YES , debt does seem to be an issue with me .
Especially when you take note of the HUGE bankruptcies within the US shale industry …… It’s all there ladies and gentleman , just Google ” fracking bankruptcies, ”
Taking note of the HUGE , eye watering financial losses within the US shale industry, if that was duplicated over here , who do you think will pick up the tab ??????
That’s right , the good old British Tax Payer .
Who will be saddled with the ON GOING costs associated with abandoned wells ???????
That’s right , the good old British Tax Payer.
Yes MARTIN , I do have a problem with debt , especially when the warning signs from America, show that the fracking industry could saddle the UK tax payer with £ 100s Billions worth of debt .
As far as your comment on household debt goes……… When you or I take on a mortgage, WE CHOOSE to take on that debt …….. As far as Fracking goes , if people like you had your own way , that huge mountain of debt would be forced upon us , WITHOUT the general public having a say …..