Forums Forums National News Fracking

We are a net importer of gas, about 60% of our natural gas is imported, we export about a tenth of that.

Gas is taxed, the Government will have increased revenue. Provided we don't have a Tory Government it should also produce cheaper gas, which will be getting cheaper anyway as the amount of renewable energy increases.

One of the really good things is that is makes us less dependent on other countries and improves our balance of trade.

Although only 3% of our gas is Russian, if Russia stops the supply of gas to the EU then all of our imported gas would be under threat and certainly escalate in cost enormously.

Two bits of news from Cuadrilla today, their fracking hit a Richter of 1.1 and also they have completed their second fracking well.

I should imagine the 1.1 would have been a bit unexpected however it is still 1000 times less than anything that causes damage to even the most rickety structure. There are millions of natural earthquakes that exceed that level every year and go totally unfelt.

No doubt there will be a bit of experimentation going on to find out how the fracking reacts to different pressures and speeds.

So far there have been no significant "after shocks" from today's event, the biggest being a 0.1 about 100 minutes afterwards.

The 0.8 "after shock" on Saturday occurred around 23 hours after its fracking shock of 0.8 on Friday, pretty soon after its compulsory 18 hour stop time.

Just on the news, a number of North West MP's are worried that the government is pursuing a permitted development strategy, now there's a surprise, no doubt the first of many more to come.

One thing I noticed in one earlier news report was that it was said tremors were to be expected (it is fracturing rock underground after all). But this has been removed from more recent reports, its focusing more on the fear factor of "earthquakes" (aren't they actually tremors?)

I also noticed on the BGS website, there were three stronger tremors over a 48 hour period in Cornwall. But no fracking going on there! So if its man made its inherently bad, but OK if naturally occurring?

I've still no doubts or fears about the process, I think its sound and has been since it was first started in this country in 1945. But Cuadrilla have to tread carefully here from a PR point of view otherwise this is going to get thrown in their face every time fracking is mentioned.

The whole thing has been a complete pantomime from start to finish. Protesters talking about an ugly tower on the landscape - erm how about Blackpool tower just a few miles away, or the massive radio towers at Inskip?

Then they talk about possible pollution if something goes wrong. OK, how about the nuclear facility a few miles away at Salwick (they have history)? Or even an oil tanker accident in the Mersey? Again, this has happened. Not to mention the palm oil poisoning of our beaches from the past year or so.

As for cheaper gas, France imports shale gas to save money. But won't allow fracking for shale gas in their country.

So your argument is that we already have eyesores, earth tremors, pollution so the possibility of more of the same( that could be avoided) makes little or no difference( two wrongs don't make a right) you state the French won't allow fracking, I wonder why? well lets hope there are no gas seams near to you Gibbo because if the Tories get their way with permitted devolopment you could end up with a gas well in your backyard.

Industry is a necessity, there always have to be some compromise.

If you want to pick fault with any industry look at cement manufacturers who have licenses to discharge extreme poisons into the air that nobody else is allowed to do, the sooner we have cheaper energies to compete with burning car tyres etc the sooner we can do away with processes that are actually killing people.

I just hate the word same as brexit soon as anyone says it on TV or radio I turn it off

I've already lived close to two sites - the one at Elswick and the iGas site in Warrington. There were no unsightly wells, no pollution, death or destruction. I'd have absolutely no problem living near another, which is why I'm not put off by a possible new well near Southport where I'm thinking of getting a new place. The only thing which would bother me are ignorant, ill-informed protesters who need to cite the film Gasland and other inaccuracies which have been portrayed as fact.

As for France, that was a ban on producing fossil fuels - so that also includes coal mining. But that didn't really make the news headlines as it doesn't sound as scary as the fracking bogeyman.

The plan was for France to lead the world with switch to renewables, but it was a largely symbolic gesture as the country is 99% dependent on hydrocarbon imports.


https://energypost.eu/france-can-square-ban-fracturing-import-shale-oil/

Its also funny that France is the leader with nuclear power - both there and with their plants in the UK - again far more inherently dangerous than fracking - not just from nuclear leaks, but:

Hackers obtain nuclear power plant plans in France
https://www.dw.com/en/hackers-obtain-nuclear-power-plant-plans-in-france/a-46126878

and extending the life of their already ageing power plants.

You're spot on there. A village near where I grew up had a cement factory. The whole area was tainted with white dust.

So, 9 days on and no "earthquakes".

https://earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/earthquakes/recent_uk_events.html

Although I see Leominster had a 2.3 yesterday but it didn't make the news.

Still no more "quakes":

https://earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/earthquakes/recent_uk_events.html

Caudrilla stopped drilling on the 2nd of November after causing 37 minor earth tremors over a 17 day period, to date they have not yet restarted operations.

Is that someone guessing? Cuadrilla made a statement that would be at odds with that.

Perhaps they stopped drilling because they'd completed what they needed to do, and were able to release the gas?

From 3rd November:

Cuadrilla confirms the first shale gas has been produced at Little Plumpton
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/cuadrilla-confirms-first-shale-gas-produced-little-plumpton/

An oil well stops drilling when it reaches the oil.

A quarry stops blasting when it has loosened the rock.

This is Lancashire, stopped so I believe because of the number of tremors, they are trying to raise the threshhold so they can carry on, no doubt they will be given carte blanche by our wonderful caring government, you know the ones that follow the peoples wishes, when it suits.