CUADRILLA TO START FRACKING IN U.K.
Govt says regulations have been tightened after first attempt 7 years ago drew widespread protests
SHALE gas developer Cuadrilla Resources expects to start gas fracking in northwest England this week, seven years after its first attempt to hydraulically fracture a well led to earth tremors, public protests and an overhaul of regulations.
The process, behind a surge in United States gas production, involves fracturing rock deep under ground using a mixture of water, sand and chemicals to encourage the flow of hydrocarbons from shale, a dense and tightlypacked sedimentary rock.
It has drawn criticism from the public and campaigners concerned about the environmental impact of fracking and the pollution caused by fossil fuels. Protests against the practice led to work at Cuadrilla’s site being halted in 2011.
But the government, keen to cut Britain’s reliance on gas imports, which soared to more than 50 per cent of gas supplies, has tightened regulations and earlier this year gave consent for Cuadrilla to go ahead again.
Cuadrilla chief executive Francis Egan said fracking of two wells and associated work would test gas flows.
“From that we’ll be able to make an assessment of how much gas is recoverable and whether it will be commercially viable to develop the site,” he said on the muddy Preston New Road site.
The industry’s future in Europe may hinge on the outcome. Although fracking has grown rapidly in the US it has not been proved viable in Europe despite several attempts, including projects that failed in Poland five years ago.
Fracking has been banned in France, Germany and several other European countries.
Cuadrilla’s well will be the first fracked horizontal well in Britain and the results will be watched by shale explorers such as IGas, Egdon and Third Energy, as well as majors like Exxon, which was unsuccessful in Poland.
The plans could also be delayed by an injunction hearing due on Wednesday. Environment group Friends of the Earth said the injunction was sought by Bob Dennett, a resident in Lancashire, the county where the project located.