DrillOrDrop has worked with local people to factcheck web articles by The Sun and LBC about IGas’s Misson Springs shale gas site in Nottinghamshire.
The Sun reported (5/8/22) that a “huge fracking site” in Nottinghamshire had been ordered to be shut by “meddling councillors” because “it might upset owls – which flew off years ago”. The following day, LBC stated that permission for the Misson Springs site had been “revoked” partly “over fears about breeding long-eared owls”.
Both articles quoted unnamed wildlife experts that the owls had left the area in 2018. The Sun said the site operator, IGas, had “agreed to strict rules to keep birds safe” and “agreed with planning officers” to work at the site until November 2023. But, the article said, planners were overruled by councillors, who said the site “must shut within weeks”.
Fracking
Misson Springs is not a fracking site.
It was granted planning permission in 2015 for two shale gas exploration wells – but not for fracking. The planning permission expired in November 2020. IGas drilled one of the wells.
To frack at Misson Springs, IGas would need a separate planning permission, an environmental permit, an approved hydraulic fracturing plan and hydraulic fracturing consent.
“Meddling”
Councillors were not “meddling”. The planning committee, with a majority of Conservative councillors, considered a planning application by IGas, made in December 2020, to extend the life of the Misson shale gas exploration site for three years.
“Revoked” permission
Permission was not revoked. The committee voted in July 2021 to refuse IGas’s application to extend the life of the site until November 2023.
Reasons for refusal
The reasons for refusal, given in the decision document, did not mention breeding long-eared owls.
They focussed on “an unacceptable length of time” of the proposed extension. During this time, the decision document said, the site would continue to “adversely impact the amenity of the local community and the sensitive local environment”. This was contrary to two planning policies, the council said.
IGas had six months in which to appeal but announced in October 2021 that it would not challenge the refusal.
“Owls flew off years ago”
The owls did not leave the site in 2018.
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, which manages the Misson Carr nature reserve, near the Misson Springs site, has confirmed that long eared owls bred this year.
In 2018, however, they did nest further away from noise from drilling at the shale gas site in 2018.
The closest part of the Misson Springs site is 125m from the nature reserve, . The reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), an area with a high level of UK wildlife protection. It is an offence to recklessly disturb wildlife on a SSSI.
NWT told councillors that surveys in 2018 showed the long-eared owls on the SSSI had moved further east from their habitual breeding locations, away from the drill site.
“Strict rules to keep birds safe”
The original planning permission for shale gas exploration set conditions for protection of birds on the SSSI.
These included no site construction work during the bird nesting season (1 February-31 August).
This gave IGas a window of nearly 22 weeks to complete site construction, seven more weeks than the company said it needed.
But IGas did not begin site construction work until 20 November 2017, losing 10 of the available weeks. The work overran and IGas failed to complete site construction by the start of the bird nesting season in February 2018. It then had to apply for permission to work during the nesting season, which the council approved.
The conditions also required IGas to provide environmental monitoring data on the SSSI. But IGas failed to abide by this rule.
NWT told the council in 2021:
“During the construction of the wellsite in 2018 and the duration of drilling, the Applicant [IGas] failed to provide complete and comprehensive data on noise, air quality and water flows and quality, despite being required to do so under the planning conditions.”
When drilling was underway, the noise barrier faced the western end of the site, away from the most sensitive area, the SSSI. The rig was also not fully enclosed, despite the recommendation from the council’s noise engineer in 2016.
The campaign group, Frack Free Misson, has suggested that IGas deployed greater noise protection for a cottage, partly screened by an industrial unit and further from the rig, than for the nearer nesting area, formerly used by long-eared owls.
The group transposed noise modelling for fracking at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site to Misson Springs. If IGas had applied to frack at Misson, the group suggests that the modelled noise levels at the SSSI would be above the statutory limit of 42dB. This could have meant IGas would not get permission for fracking.
Shutting well “within weeks”
The councillors did not require the well to be shut “within weeks”.
The formal refusal of the extension application was dated 3 August 2021. But at the time of writing, more than a year later, the well has not been plugged and abandoned.
Planners “overruled”
Planners recommended approval of IGas’s application for three more years at Misson.
But 12 councillors voted against granting planning permission, with one abstention and none in support.
Councillors can, and do, vote against the advice of planning officers. They should be ready to explain why they have not accepted the recommendation.
Local reaction
Frack Free Misson told DrillOrDrop the articles by The Sun and LBC had been inaccurate by stating that the owls were absent. The group also said:
“The articles wrongly imply the fracking industry has suffered some form of injustice.
“In reality, IGas’ failure to complete the scheduled works within the original timescales and protect the SSSI as required leaves serious questions to be asked regarding the company’s competence.
“That the fracking lobby resorts to such inaccurate ‘journalism’ to sway the public mood demonstrates how ill-founded their case is, and to what depths the industry’s cohorts will stoop in order to justify its ongoing existence.”
Updated 17/8/22 with confirmation that the long eared owls bred in 2022.
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DRILL OR DROP? 
This is an excellent example of the sort of propaganda and disinformation that has appeared frequently in the media and repeated by many supporters of fracking. Science and facts do not seem to matter.
Well done and thank you for fact-checking this baseless article.
I am sure if the government does lift the moratorium the case for fracking will face far greater scrutiny and just as before it will fail.
Not only is the industry unproven but even Kwasi Kwarteng has publicly stated that to become established fracking is a decade away. So it is not going to help lower bills or help the energy crisis, as some claim.
The CCC considers any potential investors should be warned about the risks associated with fracking because of the UK gas reduction and emission targets. And as the High Court has just ruled the government’s policy approach to net zero is unlawful because existing policies do not show sufficient detail about how net zero will be delivered. So there will be no place for left for vague actions and targets.
There are many doubts about the size of the U.K. shale reserves, the type of U.K. shale and the complexity of U.K. geology. Add this to a small densely populated country, with considerable fixed surface development and it is plain to see the issues faced and the limitations of a shale gas industry in the U.K.
Any gas extracted is owned by the company and not the U.K. and will be sold at market price and if any gas is produced it will not be sufficient to influence prices, this has also been acknowledged by Kwasi Kwarteng and experts.
There are far better ways to reduce the amount of energy we use and far better ways to produce energy than fracking.
The idea that communities will accept all the downsides of fracking for an industry that is unproven, that will not lower energy costs but will harm the climate and environment is absurd.
Thanks, KatT. I fear, however, that It’s not enough to say that the fracking industry is unproven. It should I believe be clearly said, as indeed you do, that the industry has harmed and will harm the climate and environment, and that this is proven. Anyone who doubts this, you clearly do not doubt this, might benefit from viewing BBC2’s excellent Big Oil vs The World, available on ‘catch up’. This is a very powerful three-part documentary which lays out for all to see the extent to which the FF industry has knowingly changed the world, increasing our dependence on gas over the last 40 years. The last episode alone leaves one aghast and angry at the way this has been done, and at a loss (almost) to explain how the industry has been so successful, and, more importantly, why?
Please carry on fighting, KatT.
Ahh, the “industry” is to blame for journalists!
Sounds a bit like journalists reporting that reservoirs were missed. Quite easy to get people to provide quotes. The key is to get the right people to provide accurate quotes. However, sometimes those quotes do not produce the “right” copy.
As for KatT, well as there is £54B yet to be spent to upgrade the electricity distribution to connect off shore wind, then more off shore wind is just a waste of time until that is done! The argument that something takes time and therefore should not start is very weak, KatT. It might just suggest the sooner a start is made the better. After all, it will take decades to construct new nuclear to back up unreliable renewables, so better not start on them either and just allow unreliable renewables to remain unreliable?
And, yes, the current windfall tax on UK energy does reduce energy bills in UK, with payments from those receipts already being allocated to individuals in UK. Suggested payments to discount local energy bills do help UK energy bill payers. Does not apply from imported oil and gas. So, perhaps a little more care might be required when posting about propaganda?
Owls?
My recollection was of protestors dressed as owls prancing around protesting about owls being disturbed! I would have thought that sort of material would have been something the Sun could have had great fun with.
Or, they could have simply watched how another little cottage/yurt industry uses the output of the fossil fuel industry in the hours of darkness to do what? Oh yes, whinge about the fossil fuel industry and ask why it has been successful!
Yes, we must be sure to tell the following countries, whatever happens, to avoid whinging about the fossil fuel industry, especially in ! “hours of darkness”:
“The Climate Crisis Is Global, but These 6 Places Face the Most Severe Consequences · Lagos, Nigeria · Haiti · Yemen · Manila · Kiribati · United Arab …”
(Time.com)
Which planet are you operating from?
Nigeria: 1.2 million bbls oil per day production
https://nairametrics.com/2022/07/13/nigeria-crude-oil-production-increases-to-1-238-million-barrels-per-day-in-june/
UAE: 3.0 million bbls oil per day production
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-arab-emirates/crude-oil-production
Both increasing production?
Both on the same planet we all live on?
Perhaps DOD should compare the Sun’s readership numbers with those of DOD? I believe the Sun’s exceeds a million readers / day?
Or will the Sun publish a retraction / apology / DOD article?
I doubt many people who are interested in saving the planet read the Sun so nothing to be concerned about….
Much more interesting is the lack of water in Norwegian reservoirs making our new electricity interconnector pretty much redundant. As this was installed primarily to support our offshore wind when it’s not windy (Guardian not the Sun) we may be in a bit of trouble this winter. Or at least the planet will as we have to extend coal burning to compensate.
“UK braces for even higher bills as Norway threatens electricity export cut
Water levels in southern Norway so low domestic consumers may be prioritised over international customers”
“The €1.6bn (£1.35bn) North Sea Link cable, which was switched on last October, is able to channel up to 1.4 gigawatts of electricity between the two countries when demand is high in the UK and there is low domestic wind generation. This is enough to power about 5% of British homes.”
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/aug/08/uk-braces-for-even-higher-bills-as-norway-threatens-electricity-export-cut
Perhaps the Sun could do an investigation regarding what interconnectors are able to achieve, and what they actually do achieve?
But, my day has had the humour added that someone is fact checking the Sun!
In the “good old days”, I always took it for granted that the lady with her bits on display really wanted to save the world.
So it’s wrong to fact check anything printed by a rag that is read by idiots and believed by the same idiots? You only have to post something on social media these days and automatically get fact checked. Try posting about Covid without getting a message . Never mind the lady’s bits Martin although they may be important to you, where do you stand exactly on wanting to do something to save the planet? Another severe weather warning this week with extreme temperatures , something that was predicted yet denied by oil and gas companies since the 70’s but hey Ho , you will be Ok I’m sure whilst others will struggle with medical problems, a bit like myself really but I shouldn’t expect the likes of your good self to give a hoot .
Nope, I am not struggling Jono. Sorry to hear you are.
My wife was struggling in 1976. I remember it well, as my first son was born in August 1976. Now, in those good old days a warm spell had to last quite a long time to be called a heat wave. I also remember 1972 when roads were melting on the west coast of Scotland. I should do-I was on honeymoon there at the time. Lots of bits suffering sunburn then. No aircon in cars either.
What am I doing to save the planet? Well, I have invested in insulation, sun blinds and one of those gadgets that uses outside heat in the winter to warm indoors, and then can be reversed in summer to do the opposite. So, indoors is around 18 degrees C currently. Perhaps that may have been a better investment for you Jono rather than the crowd funding? I also have a number of water storage butts which is more to do with concern about the ability of the water companies to keep up with increased demand, rather than the weather, so my garden is still a nice green oasis, and I can enjoy my very local production of veggies, without the transport emissions. I did invest, twice, in leasing hybrids on short term leases, to try, but decided they were a con and so didn’t commit to what I found to be disappointing.
Oh yes, I also slept well last night, unlike some, so rose at dawn and put huge quantities of mulch around the base of each of my fruit trees to help them out by reducing evaporation and produce me and my family and friends vast quantities of apples to save those being imported from far and wide. Having to put lots of water out for the birds to prevent them pecking the apples to get their moisture, but they are happy with water from the butts.
Meanwhile, I am watching, against a nice blue sky numerous vapour trails as people head off over the horizon to find something they could find here. Funny how often that is the case! Not so funny that the planet is not saved by that-and that doesn’t just apply to holiday makers but also to other consumers.
[Typo corrected at poster’s request]
In the new World Order in which Fracking is held to be safe and the moratorium lifted, why do its cheer leaders assume that any gas extracted will primarily be used for domestic consumption ?
The only way it “stays in this country” is if our principal Purchasers are prepared to pay more for it than the European market. Since European access to Russian sources of gas has been severely limited, demand across the Channel will be greater than ours which has alternative supply from America,Norway ,Qatar and the North Sea.
Operators will chase the best contract price . They are not in business to serve the needs of the British people. They are highly unlikely even to be British owned companies. Gas is easily transportable and that simple truth gives the lie to the oft argued point that “Fracking will imporove our Energy Security.” Why should it ? Energy Security – if it exists at all – is not the responsibility of Operators. And at the very least it requires significant storage capacity.
Even the most basic grounding in the realities of how gas is traded globally raises the prospect of a nascent Fracking industry simply supplying the export market. And good luck with trying to find the tax haven that is booking the trade.
Except Philip you seem to have missed the recent expert summary from John regarding the ability of UK to export gas, or more like, the inability. UK has no facilities to liquify gas for transport, so it either goes through existing pipelines to help those poor Germans etc who became reliant on Putin, or, it stays in UK. UK does have facilities for importing liquified gas and then turning it to gas, so can help our European friends who were rather slack in not having that bit of energy security too.
As far as storage is concerned, UK has masses of storage. It is called shale. One would wonder why any sane individuals would want UK to invest £ billions in storage of gas when God has already done it for free.
I haven’t missed any “expert summary ” . One of the points I am making is that Energy Policy is the collective result of uncoordinated actions by independent Traders and Suppliers. The Operators are free to do with their gas what they will. Equally, if they have a Petroleum License they are at liberty to leave their Proven Reserve in the ground. And they will do just that if the marginal cost of extraction falls significantly below the future traded price.
As regards Prospective Resources being the same as a strategic gas reserve : you might as well say that a packet of seeds is food for the table. And yes, I do know that next years’ potato harvest has already been sold.
The recent trend to use under utilised Re-gasification plants to import Gas from the US and pipe it to the European market for next day delivery is not being done for altruistic reasons . It’s a lucrative trade for both Traders and Shippers. The contracts will have changed hands maybe 70 -100 times before an equivalent volume of gas reaches Lithuania . This is the reality of the global gas market. National interest doesn’t really feature.
That is why your confidence in Shale Gas as being a no -brainer for the UK is so well described. You would have to have no brain to think that there is no down side.