Campaigners try to block plans for fracking in Devon
Campaigners are attempting to block any future plans to exploit potentially rich underground gas reserves in Devon and Somerset by using a drilling technique which has been known to trigger earthquakes.
Parts of the region have been identified by the government as potentially containing lucrative reserves of shale gas, which can be extracted by hydraulic fracturing, so-called “fracking”.
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Plans to use the controversial process, which involves injecting high pressure water and chemicals into shale rock to blast out trapped natural gas, have already been labelled “sheer folly” by South West Liberal Democrat MEP Graham Watson.
Now a new pressure group has formed in Devon which is urging the county council to adopt a blanket policy of refusal to any attempts to drill.
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Friends of the Earth (FOE) spokesman Maurice Spurway said people should be concerned.
He added: “Fracking could be coming here – the eastern part of the county is designated as an area where licensing for fracking could be authorised by the Government. Frack Free Devon is a campaign to persuade Devon County Council to adopt a policy of refusing applications to drill for shale gas and refusing to accept the toxic waste from these activities.”
The extraction technique is widespread in the USA but the only drilling so far in Britain is taking place in Lancashire.
Work by Cuadrilla Resources, at Preese Hall well, near Blackpool, was temporarily halted after the work was found to have caused earthquakes.
A Government document has identified large areas of eastern and southern England as having the best potential – with large deposits found in Dorset and Somerset. The Department for Energy and Climate Change report last year included maps indicating types of shale in Devon and even Cornwall.
A map produced by the British Geological Survey (BGS) clearly shows a zig-zag shaped area crossing Somerset, from Minehead to Lyme Regis, rich in a fine mudstone known to contain the gas.
The BGS said the rocky outcrop of Lias could represent the tip of a much larger deposit of gas-rich material, but much more detailed assessments were required before the scale of any operations could be known. Geologist Ed Hough said companies would need to drill deep bore holes before the commercial prospects for the Westcountry was known, with licences and permits required as well as planning permission.
“There are rocks rich in organic matter of a similar age and type to those which have proved commercially viable in the USA,” he added. “We don’t know if they will be commercially viable here until developers undertake deep and detailed seismic exploration.
“It is nowhere near that stage at the moment – we are probably looking at five years to a decade if we started now and everything went smoothly.”
Somerset County Council said it was “keeping a watching brief on the issue”. A spokesman added: “To date no approach has been made to the county council for pre-application discussion on fracking, and no applications have been submitted to us as Minerals Planning Authority for Somerset.”
Devon County Council said its minerals team was also unaware of any applications or proposals to undertake any work.
Comments
by Christopher77
Thursday, May 17 2012, 1:59AM
“Watch a documentary on TV called 'gas land' made in the US,
I'm more for real advanced tech myself the Germany has mastered using all 3 together on one site one or two wind turbines & a small amount of solar tech for summer months to basically heat a silo full of pooh!! Cows dung or human in a big digester & for stirring it & the produces methane naturally & produces many jobs behond the gas & oil industry, such as manufacturing & contruction as well as running costs, Germany has around 4,500 plants large & small around the country manly on farms so really more jobs as farmers employ more staff too.
Have a look at the documentary and view videos on YouTube about biogas plants in Germany that's the way forward in my view & for future generations to come; the path should be taken behond the fracking route because what happens when the fracking is finished of sucking the gas depos****? That's what!
Please check out the informative factual videos I've pointed towards before thumbing up or down.
Thanks people”
by Workitout
Monday, May 07 2012, 7:52PM
“Have you seen what this process does???????
It Poisons the Earth that you walk on.
Madness.”
by unhappysteveo
Monday, May 07 2012, 7:02PM
“Fracking isn't new technology, they've been using it in the states since the 90's. anything that helps the UK be self sufficient in fuel rather than importing it can only be a good thing. Let them do the test and see what the results are.”
by RocketRon_
Monday, May 07 2012, 6:57PM
“Campaigners and moaners in Devon? Noooo surely not. Devonians never stand in the way or moan. The never form alliances and LOSE...Noooo i dont believe it..
Morons.”
by Cerberus2010
Monday, May 07 2012, 6:42PM
“The earthquakes are the 'least' of the problems with fracking. Of much more concern are the chemicals that are mixed with the water during the process that have the potential of creating serious long term pollution of the aquifer.”
by Johnny_Brant
Monday, May 07 2012, 6:23PM
“The word 'fracking' has an evil satanic ring to it, especially as it can trigger earthquakes, and i have visions of huge abysses opening in the earth's crust in fulfilment of ancient scripture. Suddenly i'm (gulp) afraid..
"the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them"- Revelation 11:7”
by 2ladybugs
Monday, May 07 2012, 5:25PM
“The problems of earthquakes can be monitored. Our water filtration plants, however, are probably not designed to adequately remove the toxins arising from the chemicals and other contaminants
used in hydraulic fracturing and which might end up in the water supply. I feel the EU will be sticking their noses into this, as the environmental problems could be far reaching.”
by newplymouth
Monday, May 07 2012, 12:08PM
“Looks like another potentially useful project that may get derailed by public ignorance and hyperactive Greens IMHO frankly I have had enough of solar panels which may not work in this climate and monsterous wind farms spoiling the Westcountry. What's wrong with burning a bit of clean fossil fuel so long as there is a proper public debate on fracking?”
by ThomasG
Monday, May 07 2012, 11:52AM
“I think that this is a potentially very dangerous new technology and needs exhaustive research and analysis before comitting to commercial production. We should devote as much effort to reducing energy usage as to finding new sources. To pick one simple example, stick to buying (or growing) whatever produce is in season - transporting meat and vegetables halfway round the world is madness! To return to the specific issue in question, an intelligent and constructive examination of the issue is required - unfortunately Mr Spurway, with his recent involvement in Ghee Bowman's "Occupy Exeter" stunt, does not stand out as the ideal person to play a prominent role in such a debate.”
by ThePFJ
Monday, May 07 2012, 11:09AM
“I can't believe the moderators are allowing the word fracking to be used. It is the sort of word they normally bleep out.”