Are you happy for shale oil to be drilled in Lancashire?

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Mon, 17/01/2011 - 12:26

Reserves of shale oil have been discovered in Lancashire, but the extraction and drilling process is pretty harsh on the environment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12190810

Would you be happy for drilling to commence? Will it damage a beautiful part of the country?

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Submitted by Paul Johnson on Sat, 22/01/2011 - 18:30 Profile image

Whereabouts in Lancashire is this? There are some parts of the county that are lovely (eg. Trough of Bowland) whilst others (I won't mention) are far less attractive...

Paul

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Sat, 22/01/2011 - 18:54 Profile image

Apparently it's in a geological formation running from Pendle Hill to the Lancashire coast somewhere near Blackpool.

Submitted by on Mon, 24/01/2011 - 20:38

There's a nice overview of how this is working in Canada for those not familiar with the technology.

http://www.economist.com/node/17959688?story_id=17959688&fsrc=rss

Submitted by Mike Davies on Fri, 01/07/2011 - 10:41

The Welsh are consulting on gas fracking over concerns about the eco impacts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-13983360

Maybe something Blackpool should have done?

Submitted by Peter Elliott CMgr MCMI on Sun, 03/07/2011 - 08:21 Profile image

The potential for ecological and economic disaster through use of 'fracking' appears to be significant. When it comes to our environment I must admit to being a bit of a worrier. Many of the things we do on a day-to-day basis are just so detrimental to the environment and we don't know what the long-term effects are going to be.

I understand that there is a body of evidence that proves that ‘fracking’ does cause minor earthquakes or tremors so that sets my alarm bells ringing immediately. At what point does one of these minor earthquakes trigger a chain reaction leading to a far more serious, larger magnitude quake? Answer, nobody knows – so we’ll just keep doing it until something happens and worry about it then. After which, when your home or business is destroyed what recourse do you have? Well, probably none as you then have to prove that the ‘fracking’ caused the bigger quake……..

Then there’s the issue of contamination of ground water. (Fresh) drinking water, if the experts are to be believed, is going to become by far and away the most precious resource over the next few years and it is suggested that more wars will be fought over it in the future than over any other natural resource (yes oil is valuable but the difference is that water is essential to life – while life is hard without oil it’s not impossible). What sense does it make to contaminate the water we have (methane was found in drinking water in one area of ‘fracking’ and videos of people setting fire to bowls of water can be found on YouTube!).

I really cannot see the justification for such an invasive and environmentally damaging activity. Surely the huge sums involved in this process would be far better involved in developing non-fossil fuel alternatives?

Submitted by Mike Davies on Thu, 22/09/2011 - 09:54

The Cuadrilla Consortium has published its eagerly expected estimate of shale gas reserves in the North West of England. The group reckons it can extract 200 trillion cubic feet from sites near Preston and Liverpool – more than the current national estimates for Poland.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/22/uk_shale_estimate/

Submitted by Charlie Fox on Tue, 04/10/2011 - 10:02

Bit more about this here

http://www.economist.com/node/21530995

200 trillion is huge. 4 times what we have in the North Sea apparently.

Submitted by Mark Rees MCMI on Sat, 08/10/2011 - 11:33 Profile image

Josh Fox (no relation, I presume Charlie!) made a thought-provoking documentary called "Gasland", highlighting the problems America has faced with fracking.

http://youtu.be/dZe1AeH0Qz8

Good for business, certainly, but is it good for the community?

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Sat, 08/10/2011 - 12:22 Profile image

I believe the French have scrapped a number of shale schemes due to the heavy environmental cost of fracking. I would think there are better ways of getting energy and shale should stay in the ground for the time being.

Submitted by Vincent Pizzoni FCMI on Sat, 08/10/2011 - 14:36

I might be in a minority here but I think we should go ahead. At a recent Oil and Gas Conference the French Govt's decision was criticised by an executive from Total! The exploitation of shale gas has transformed the US energy scene just as it can ours. There are risks but these can be overcome:

http://www.shalegas.energy.gov/index.html

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Sat, 08/10/2011 - 15:21 Profile image

Water is probably the biggest concern wouldn't you say Vince? There are numerous places in the world experiencing water issues at the moment, so diverting large quantities of it towards fracking doesn't seem ideal. Aren't there concerns about that in California etc. at the moment?

Of course one could reasonably counter that by raising the vast quantities lost through leaks but we have to live in the real world rather than the ideal world.

Don't get me wrong, any move that reduces our dependance upon questionable regimes for our energy has to be good, I would just rather us explore avenues like improving energy efficiency before going heavily into shale.

Submitted by Vincent Pizzoni FCMI on Sat, 08/10/2011 - 17:46

Adi, water management is a big issue but there is a lot of work ongoing with this http://www.shale-gas-water-management.com/

http://www.evs.anl.gov/pub/dsp_detail.cfm?pubID=2537

Overall I am a believer in having a balanced portfolio so would see this area as playing a role together with fossil fuels (with CCS), nuclear and renewables.

Submitted by Mike Davies on Fri, 21/10/2011 - 09:21

Interesting discussion of the potential of shale here

http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/environment/shale-potential/

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Wed, 02/11/2011 - 11:10 Profile image

Interesting here in the Beeb.

It is "highly probable" that shale gas test drilling triggered earth tremors in Lancashire, a study has found.

But the report, commissioned by energy firm Cuadrilla, also said the quakes were due to an "unusual combination of geology at the well site".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-15550458

Submitted by Vincent Pizzoni FCMI on Wed, 02/11/2011 - 12:52

Interesting update Adi.

Cuadrilla probably need to do more to engage the protestors and local residents in dialogue as some of the wild stories circulating have little bearing with the facts.

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Sat, 26/11/2011 - 20:51 Profile image

Interesting piece here about the shale gas industry in Europe and how it's unlikely that it will be as successful as in America.

http://www.economist.com/node/21540256

Submitted by Mark Rees MCMI on Mon, 28/11/2011 - 23:54 Profile image

I read this article too, Adi. America has had a lot longer to get used to the idea. We shall see what impact the possibility of lower energy prices has upon European cautiousness. I don't necessarily agree with the idea, but I can certainly see Eastern Europe carving out a market in the not-too-distant future.

Submitted by Vincent Pizzoni FCMI on Tue, 29/11/2011 - 10:21

I think the article makes sense. I see lots of activity in places like Poland while things will move more slowly in Western Europe.

Outside of the US and EU there are some significant deposits which might transform some economies:

http://www.eia.gov/analysis/studies/worldshalegas/