Fracking: Coalition gives go-ahead

Fracking: Coalition gives go-ahead to controversial shale gas drilling


Britain has given the green light to gas "fracking”, just days after David Cameron said the controversial technique could help bring down household energy bills.








Demonstrators hold placards in protest against hydraulic fracturing for shale gas Photo: AFP






By Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent

9:14AM GMT 13 Dec 2012


8 Comments




Edward Davey, the Energy Secretary, this morning lifted a ban on the drilling for shale gas, which was put in place after the UK's first project near Lancashire caused tremors last year.


His decision will allow companies to explore for the new energy source across swathes of countryside in the south, north-west and north-east of England.


The first company to drill for Britain's shale gas – Cuadrilla Resources – will now be able to resume its operations near Blackpool, with new controls guarding against the risk of mini earthquakes.


Mr Davey said there is the "potential for a very exciting shale gas industry in the UK" but this must not "come at the expense of local communities of the environment."


Britain has trillions of cubic feet of shale gas covering up to 60 per cent of the countryside but environmental groups and rural communities are concerned the landscape could be scarred and polluted.



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The Energy Secretary said there will be tight environmental controls on the drilling, which will be "continuously checked, monitored and evaluated".

He said there would be no philosophy of "drill, baby, drill" championed by US politician Sarah Palin, as Britain will not exploit the resource at the cost of the environment.

At a briefing in London, Mr Davey said shale gas could "contribute significantly to our energy security" but it is too early to tell exactly how much can actually be got out of the ground safely.

He said his decision to allow drilling is based on scientific evidence about the safety of the technology, in which water and chemicals are pumped into the ground at high pressure to fracture the rocks and release gas.

The Energy Secretary also said exploiting shale gas will not stop Britain's efforts to tackle climate change by bringing down carbon emissions.

"I know there are some people who think this is a bad environmental decision but I think they're wrong. Do they want to see more home grown gas or more imported gas?

"We need gas regardless, in place of dirty coal. Yes gas emits carbon but is it not better that we use gas from this country than gas shipped from across the world?"

The push to extract shale gas is strongly supported by the Prime Minister and the Chancellor.

George Osborne last week announced that there would be a new Office for Unconventional Gas to help set up regulations and speed up production of resources.

The Prime Minister also voiced support on Tuesday, saying Britain “should take part in fracking and unconventional gas because this might be a revolution that we should be involved in”.

“It would be a big risk just to ignore what is happening in the gas market,” he said. “If we ignored it completely, you could be giving your economy much higher energy prices than is necessary.

"America’s success in unconventional gas is giving them low energy costs and cutting their carbon at the same time.”

A report, commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, is expected to show that Britain is sitting on potential reserves worth £1.5  trillion.

The country would probably be able to extract only 10 per cent or less of these reserves. Ministers believe it could still provide a substantial economic boost.

The move to exploit shale gas on a large scale risks infuriating rural communities and green campaigners.

Tony Bosworth, a campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said Britain would do better to build more wind farms.

He said: “A green light to fracking would spell bad news for communities and their environment.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fracking/10567246/Fracking-tax-millions-will-go-to-communities-says-David-Cameron.html

He really is an Ar**hole, obviously it's a done deal without a thought for the potential dangers or blot on the landscape. If this goes ahead he can forget the middle class votes come the Election.

Demonstrators camped in Salford are trying to stop the huge lorries with equipment going through. One Demonstrator , not a yobbo, but a middleaged man from Somerset said he is determined to try to stop fracking anywhere in the U.K.

They are saying Cameron's offer to Councils where the fracking is to start is derisory .