No new onshore oil and gas licences will be issued in England, the government announced today. The news followed a speech to the Labour conference in which the energy secretary confirmed his commitment to ban fracking.
Anti-fracking groups in Lancashire are calling on the government and regulators to order the permanent plugging and abandonment of wells at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site.
A government minister seemed this morning to support the idea that a permanent ban on fracking would be the best way his department could tackle climate change.
A group of Lancashire residents handed a letter to Cuadrilla’s headquarters this morning requesting a permanent end to fracking at the company’s shale gas site near Blackpool.
UK Oil and Gas, the major investor in the Horse Hill oil site in Surrey, has forecast that permanent production would be underway by next winter.
Campaigner Ben Dean argues in this guest post that the single word temporary has cleared the way for oil and gas development in rural areas.
The INEOS injunction against protests over shale gas exploration is to be challenged by a second campaigner when it comes to the High Court tomorrow (Tuesday 12 September).
DRILL OR DROP? 