Page 6 - Gi flipbook February 2018

NEWS | INDUSTRY

Fracking to begin in earnest in

2018 after tough year for industry

BRITISH SHALE GAS
companies have said
domestic fracking will finally
begin in earnest in 2018,
after another year passed
without serious progress
amid strong opposition.
Industry figures said this
year would be crucial for
the sector, as companies
start the process of
hydraulic fracturing to
extract gas trapped
underground in shale rock.
The previous 12 months
have not been kind to
the embryonic industry,
according to BusinessGreen.
Scotland has banned Public opposition to fracking in
fracking, while public the UK hit record highs in 2017
opposition in the UK hit
record highs and protests from the government, “In terms of moving the to use fast-track powers
made headlines. said it hoped some of industry forward, it [2018] granted by the government
The companies at the the public’s fears over is very significant. The in 2015. These allow shale
vanguard of Britain’s fracking pollution and safety would most important thing is companies to apply directly
push said this will change in be allayed once it has to demonstrate it can to the government for
2018. “We will see results started fracking near the be done safely and in an planning approval if local
this year. None of us can village of Kirby Misperton. environmentally safe way, authorities take more than
say with certainty what the Alan Linn, the company’s and bring communities 16 weeks to decide whether
results will be, of course,” director, said: “It’s a potential along with us.” fracking should go ahead.
said Francis Egan, the Chief catalyst for a sea change The company’s shale Gas prices have jumped
Executive of Cuadrilla. in how the industry is operations are largely due to the pipeline’s closure
According to the British perceived. We’ll do it safely.” financed by an investment and disruption to gas
Geological Survey, Britain By mid-February, from the petrochemicals supplies in Europe, which
is sitting on shale gas Third Energy hopes to company Ineos. Ineos, shale advocates see as
deposits that could supply collect enough data to owned by the billionaire Jim strengthening the case for a
the UK for 25 years. A know whether the well Ratcliffe, has been one of new domestic source of gas.
report in 2013 suggested is commercially viable. the most bullish proponents Ken Cronin, the Chief
an area stretching from Commercial development of exploiting shale gas, Executive of the onshore
Lancashire to Yorkshire and and production is still up to arguing that it is vital to drilling body UKOOG, said:
Lincolnshire could hold at three years away and would stop the decline of British “At times, the stress, if you
least 1,300 trillion cubic require more wells to be manufacturing. For instance, don’t have your own gas,
feet of gas. drilled and fracked, he said. Ineos has said fracked gas you have to pay for it. I
Cuadrilla in Lancashire Waiting in the wings is IGas can be sent to its facilities, think the dynamics of our
and Third Energy in North Energy, which will submit its converted into ethylene and argument haven’t changed:
Yorkshire are vying to be first application to frack at a then used in the production imports are increasing, that
the first company since 2011 site north of Chester known of plastic products. will increase price volatility.”
to frack in the UK. Both are as Ince Marshes. The company had hoped He rejected the notion
expected to begin pumping The company will also to have drilled several wells that falling energy demand
water underground at high be drilling at two sites in of its own by early this year, and renewable energy
pressure to fracture rocks Nottinghamshire, known but is still in a testing phase prices meant shale’s
and test how much gas as Tinker Lane and Springs and trying to win planning window of opportunity
flows out this year. Road, where construction permissions. was closing, pointing to
Third Energy, whose has already started. Ineos recently drew forecasts that the UK’s
plans have been delayed Ann-Marie Wilkinson, the ire of several councils dependency on gas imports
due to a legal loophole and the IGas Director of that said they were being is going to increase in
is awaiting final consent Corporate Affairs, said: bypassed after it sought coming decades. ■

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News.indd 1 18/01/2018 11:18