Page 6 - Gi flipbook September 2018

NEWS | INDUSTRY CUADRILLA

The company now wants
permission for a second well
at the Preston New Road site
Government gives last-minute

go-ahead to UK fracking site

SHALE GAS EXTRACTION had the potential to be the recommendations of application for a second
company Cuadrilla has been a new domestic energy independent government well at the Preston New
given the green light to source “further enhancing advisers the National Road site.
begin hydraulic fracturing at our energy security Infrastructure Commission, Fracking has been banned
its Preston New Road site and helping us with our which had previously or suspended in Scotland,
after Energy Minister Claire continued transition to a warned that “the UK cannot Wales and Northern Ireland,
Perry said she was satisfied lower-carbon economy”. achieve its emissions leaving England as the only
the company had met all She said: “It also has targets while relying on country where it remains an
the necessary requirements the capacity to deliver natural gas”, and called option.
for a permit. substantial economic on ministers to seize a But England would have
It is the first time benefits, both nationally “golden opportunity” to to build 6,100 wells to
permission has been granted and locally, as well as move towards greener replace just 50 per cent of
since a new regulatory through the creation of energy without increasing gas imports between 2021
regime was introduced well-paid, high-quality jobs. consumer bills. and 2035, a study by Cardiff
and could see the first gas “We already have an Francis Egan, Chief Business School found
extraction since exploratory excellent, long-standing Executive of Cuadrilla, said: earlier this year, casting
drilling caused two minor reputation for safe oil and “We are very pleased to be doubt on Conservative
earthquakes at a site nearby, gas exploration. the first operator in the UK calls for a US-style fracking
reports The Independent. “Our world-class to have been awarded final “revolution” in the UK.
Ms Perry said shale gas regulations will ensure consent to hydraulically The Conservatives’
that shale exploration fracture the UK’s first 2017 manifesto said: “The
Francis Egan, Chief Executive will maintain robust onshore horizontal shale discovery and extraction
Officer of Cuadrilla environmental standards exploration well. of shale gas in the
and meet the expectations “This is a testament United States has been a
of local communities.” to, and underpinned by, revolution. Gas prices have
Ms Perry’s approval for our strong track record fallen, driving growth in
extraction of the fossil fuel of running a world class the American economy and
follows the endorsement shale gas exploration site pushing down prices for
of the plans and the at Preston New Road, in consumers.
conditions as assessed compliance with robust “The US has become
by government bodies health, safety, environmental less reliant on imported
including the Health and and planning regulations.” foreign energy and is more
Safety Executive and the He added that the secure as a result. We will
Environment Agency. company would be therefore develop the shale
The decision ignores submitting a consent industry in Britain.” ■

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News.indd 1 14/08/2018 20:00