Reporting on the unconventional oil and gas industry and its use of hydraulic fracturing
19/2/14 Development of a UK fracking industry could be threatened by uncertainty about the planning and approvals process, according to the Poyry consulting group. A report published by the company this week warned that investment in shale gas could be deterred because it was unclear whether the UK […]
18/2/14 The South Downs National Park Authority has halted consideration of Celtique Energie’s planning application for exploratory drilling at Fernhurst because key information is missing. The application will need to go through a new consultation and is unlikely to be decided until the summer. The authority’s chief executive, […]
18/2/14 Frack Free Balcombe Residents’ Association has responded to an interview (reported here last week) by Shale World with the village’s parish council chair Alison Stevenson. The full response is posted below from FFBRA’s latest newsletter. Community benefit FFBRA challenged Alison’s Stevenson’s suggestion that Balcombe could receive £80,000 from […]
10/2/14 Alison Stevenson, chair Balcombe Parish Council, is attending the 2014 Shale Gas World conference in Manchester in May. The website http://www.shale-world.com/ asked her about Balcombe’s experience, public attitudes to drilling and how well the operating companies had engaged with people. The interview was published last week but […]
10/2/14 Transcripts of last week’s parliamentary questions on: Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency inspections at Balcombe and other sites Monitoring methane emissions Costs of regulations Production and development licences Common liabilities fund Disposal of fluid into the Manchester Ship Canal With thanks to theyworkforyou.com 6/2/14 Question […]
10/2/14 The American energy entrepreneur, Chris Wright, told the House of Lords last month (14/1/14) that Britain would need only 35 shale gas drilling rigs and 700 wells a year. Giving evidence to the Economic Affairs Committee investigation into shale gas, he said his figure was based on the […]
10/2/14 The onshore oil and gas industry appears to be shying away from public debate, despite making promises to engage with local communities. Member companies of the UK Onshore Operators Group (UKOOG) have signed up to a Community Engagement Charter, which pledges “openness and transparency in everything we […]
4/2/14 The economic affairs committee of the House of Lords could be forgiven for being more confused after hearing from the Chancellor, George Osborne, this afternoon (4/2/14) than they were before he arrived. The committee has been investigating the likely impact of a shale gas industry on the […]
Cuadrilla Resources has announced two new fracking sites near Blackpool: Roseacre Wood and Preston New Road near Little Plumpton. In a statement issued today (4/2/14), the company said it will apply for planning permission to drill, hydraulically fracture and test the flow of gas from up to four […]
4/2/14 David Cameron’s message “We going all out for shale” doesn’t appear to have support in all parts of his government. The business secretary, Vince Cable, told today’s Guardian “Shale gas is a long-term possibility – no more than that.” He said the real future for oil and […]
DRILL OR DROP? 