Investigative journalist and environmental writer. Specialising in UK onshore oil and gas, fracking and the reaction to it.
7-13th October Cuadrilla’s planning application to continue to explore for oil at Lower Stumble, Balcombe, expected to be publicised by West Sussex County Council Tuesday October 8th House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee discusses the economic impact on UK energy policy of shale gas and oil Deadline expires […]
The Blackpool Gazette reports Cuadrilla has pulled out of one of its potential fracking sites on the Lancashire coast. The company says it will not seek consent to frack for gas at Anna’s Road in Westby because of “technical constraints related to wintering birds”. Drilling was restricted to a […]
Evidence submitted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee (2/10/2013) suggests exploitation of shale in the UK could provide a new source of natural gas but it will not be “a panacea for bringing down gas and electricity bills.” Research by the […]
The Environment Agency reports the green colour of a stream near Cuadrilla’s Balcombe drilling site is still unconfirmed but probably a green dye. Update to Timeline – October 2013
2/10/13 Environment Agency investigates possible pollution of a stream near Cuadrilla’s exploration site at Balcombe. Villagers report a section of the stream has turned bright green. The Agency says an initial visit found no evidence of “significant environmental harm” or threat to local water supply. Field measures show there […]
Update to Timeline – October 2013 2/10/13 Dates have been set for the first trials of anti-fracking campaigners, arrested following protests outside Cuadrilla’s exploration site at Balcombe. A review of the cases set 12 separate court dates for nearly 30 campaigners. A further 32 people had their cases […]
Update to Timeline – October 2013 2/10/13 The former chair of Lewes District Council and model, Marina Baker, is not to face charges following the protest at Cuadrilla’s site at Balcombe. A district judge, sitting at Crawley Magistrates Court, reviewed about 60 cases arising from the anti-fracking campaign […]
Dates have been set for the first trials of anti-fracking campaigners, arrested following protests outside Cuadrilla’s exploration site at Balcombe during the summer. A hearing at Crawley Magistrates Court today (2/10/2013) reviewed the cases of about 60 campaigners. All deny the charges against them. The court set 12 […]
15/10/13 Any decision about fracking in Northern Ireland should be a matter for the Executive as a whole, says the Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster. Her comments follows a debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly where the Minister of the Environment assured assembly members that in the absence of evidence […]
Update to Timeline – September 2013 30/9/13 Anti-fracking protestors begin to leave the camp outside Cuadrilla’s site at Balcombe. The Guardian reports that tents, banners and makeshift structures are being cleared from verges. Cuadrilla closed the exploratory well before its planning permission expired on Saturday September 28th. The […]
DRILL OR DROP? 