Hydraulic Fracking Campaign

FRACKING UPDATE

At a Fracking webinar held in March 2012, APE learnt the true extent of the potential for shale gas extraction in the UK and what that could mean for local communities and the climate. 

Dustin Benton, Senior Policy Advisor from the Green Alliance talked about the realities of shale gas extraction: he believes that the shale gas industry has made overblown claims about the amount of gas available in the UK. The Estimated Recoverable Recources image to the right shows that shale gas (in yellow) has relatively limited reserves compared to both coal bed methane (orange) and underground coal gasification (red). Indeed, the Marcellus Shale Gas Resource cut its projections by 80% meaning that the potential for cheap shale gas replacing dirty coal - which is a key selling point of the industry - is unlikely.

Benton sites statistics from the US - where fracking has been taking place for years - revealing the full life-cycle evaluation of fracking wells only just breaks even and profitability continues to decline even at the current high gas price level.

Another 'myth' pedalled about shale gas extraction is that the drilling pads are relatively benign environmentally, but an aerial photograph taken in the US showed that not to be the case because, unlike open-cast mining where there is one massive site, there are many hundreds of shale gas drill sites with all the necessary roads and clear-cut felling of forests to maintain them. When these sites are in populated areas, their impact on health and wellbeing of local communities is equally destructive.

Worryingly both Dustin Benton and Nathan Roberts from Frack-Off believe that because of the massive UK reserves of coal that are difficult to mine in conventional terms, there is a move towards Underground Coal Gasification where coal is, in effect, set alight under ground and burned in-situ, with the collection and use of the off-gases to create energy. There is a debate about the environmental impacts of UCG because it negates the need to strip-mine and reduces sulphur dioxide and other gases, however it is believed that groundwater contamination could be a serious issue as would be containment of the underground fire.

As Nathan Roberts concluded in his talk "Shale gas is just the tip of the iceberg." He urged us to become acquainted with the issues surrounding these 'new' fossil fuel energy sources, and advocated that the best way to address concerns is for community groups to come together and get active and informed about the many proposed shale gas and UCS sites around the UK

For more information see www.frack-off.org.uk

Click here to watch a BBC Newsnight clip about Fracking. Despite the limited regulatory framework and contaminated, radioactive water, APE's major concern is just what are those 'chemicals' that are regularly referred to, but never named... (Start clip at 17 minutes, 44 seconds.) 

Flaming Drinking Water? No Fracking Thanks!

For the first time in Britain, a controversial technique to extract gas by underground explosions has  been given the go ahead by MPs on the Energy Select Committee. Supporters say the drilling technology of fracking or hydraulic fracturing can unlock a “Saudi Arabia” of natural gas just beneath our very feet. Engineers from the company Cuadrilla are now searching for what’s called shale gas in West Lancashire near Blackpool and supporters argue it could revolutionise world energy markets.

But is fracking safe?

Hydraulic fracturing is a drilling process that injects millions of gallons of water, thousands of gallons of sand and an unregulated cocktail of chemicals (which companies are not required to disclose), at high pressure into oil or methane gas deposits.

Fracking stands accused of

•        Poisoning water supplies with methane gas and a cocktail of toxic chemicals
•        Killing livestock after frack water belches to the surface
•        Destabilising the landscape
•        Creating more greenhouse emissions than burning coal
•        Sucking investment from the renewable technologies vital for combating climate change

Methane Escape? Flaming water ought to be a clue

In Pennsylvania, USA, some householders can now set fire to their drinking water after methane gas leaked into wells. They are blaming shale gas extraction. Numerous videos are available on the web showing these extraordinary scenes.

GASLAND - (2010) Directed by Josh Fox. Winner of Special Jury Prize - Best US Documentary Feature - Sundance 2010. Screening at Cannes 2010.

The hydraulic fracturing industry vigorously denies that shale gas is unsafe and blames pollution incidents as examples of bad practice, rather than an inherently risky technique. However, America’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently investigating fracking and expects to report in 2012.

So Why The UK? Why Now?

With the global demand for energy on the increase, the British government is cautiously optimistic about the so-called shale gas revolution. It also means the massive expansion of shale gas in the US and also possibly in China may depress global gas prices and cause countries to favour gas over coal.

But APE argues that we must practice the ‘Precautionary Principle’: there must be a moratorium on shale gas extraction until allegations about the technology and its effects on drinking water, ecosystems and the climate can be thoroughly researched. We also want to see a study examining the carbon footprint of the full lifecycle process, from the site preparation to the gas being extracted and delivered.

MPs say the UK government will need to be vigilant to ensure shale gas extraction does not pollute or produce excessive greenhouse emissions. Let’s hold them to that. Let’s lobby to make sure our MPs take our concerns on board, all the way to the House of Commons. Let’s ensure that renewable technologies for combating climate change remain at the forefront of a UK energy revolution.

To add your voice, sign our petition.