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UK Methane announce plans for fracking in Somerset

category somerset | the environment | press release author Friday December 21, 2012 17:32author by Frack Free Somersetauthor email info at frackfreesomerset dot org Report this post to the editors

UK Methane will shortly be applying for planning permission to drill for shale gas using hydraulic fracturing in Somerset. They have withdrawn a planning application to carry out exploratory drilling for Coal Bed Methane at the Hicks Gate roundabout in Keynsham.

Over 700 people had submitted individual objections to the planning application for Coal Bed Methane to Bath and North East Somerset Council. [1] Keynsham Town Council, Compton Dando Parish Council and the Ecology department had also submitted objections.

In an email to Bath & North East Somerset Council, UK Methane said: “Given recent communications from DECC we have decided to formally withdraw this planning application (ref: P/12/718/FUL) for exploration and re-submit a new application early in the new year for production which will include shale gas....we will apply for a full production permission. Central government...has recently lifted the moratorium on fracking. ” [2]

Anne Watts from Frack Free Somerset said: “We don't want our water to be polluted. Once fracking takes place contamination of land and water is inevitable. You cannot do it safely. Communities everywhere are resisting this toxic industry.”

Hydraulic fracturing is a method of extracting gas in shale rock. Huge amounts of water mixed with toxic chemicals are forced into the ground at high pressure, a large proportion of which are never recovered. In the United States numerous spills of these fluids have contaminated irrigation water, affecting food supplies, and the health of surrounding communities. [3] [4] [5]

UK Methane own PEDL (Petroleum Exploration and Development License) licenses for an area covering Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, Peasedown and Chew Magna. [6] Another company, Reservoir Resources own PEDL 225, covering Wells, Shepton Mallet and Bruton. [7] This area also includes a large number of villages, farms and water catchments for several areas, including the city of Bristol and water for areas in the Mendip such as Glastonbury & Street.

This is the second Coal Bed Methane application in the UK to have failed this year. Outrage from the local community stopped plans for Coal Bed Methane drilling in South Lanarkshire [8] Dart Energy have applied for planning permission for full-scale Coal Bed Methane production in Airth. This is also resisted by the local community. [9]

Notes

1. Planning reference 12/04304/FUL. http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/planning-and-building-control/view-and-comment-planning-applications

2. http://idox.bathnes.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Correspondence-644946.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=644946&location=VOLUME2&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1

3. 'Cracks in the Façade: EPA Traced Pollution of Underground Water Supply to Hydraulic Fracturing' (Aug 2011 – EWG)
http://static.ewg.org/reports/2011/fracking/cracks_in_the_facade.pdf

4. 'Methane contamination of drinking water accompanying gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing' (May 2011 – Duke)
http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/cgc/pnas2011.pdf

5. 'Shale gas: a provisional assessment of climate change and environmental impacts' (Jan 2011 – Tyndall Centre)
http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/sites/default/files/coop_shale_gas_report_final_200111.pdf

6. http://og.decc.gov.uk/en/olgs/cms/licences/licence_data/recent_licence/recent_licence.aspx

7. https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/information/licence_reports/databycompanyandblock.htmlhttp://www.acadvertiser.co.uk/lanarkshire-news/local-news/monklands-news/2012/03/21/company-pulls-the-plug-on-gas-drilling-application-65864-30581704/

8. http://www.acadvertiser.co.uk/lanarkshire-news/local-news/monklands-news/2012/03/21/company-pulls-the-plug-on-gas-drilling-application-65864-30581704/

9. http://frack-off.org.uk/frack-attack-application-for-britains-first-unconventional-gas-development/

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Comments (45 of 45)

 

 #   Title   Author   Date 
 1   Fracking risk is exaggerated     NS    Fri Dec 21, 2012 19:46 
 2   Thanks FFS     TP    Fri Dec 21, 2012 21:04 
 3   Shill!     Boyd    Fri Dec 21, 2012 21:14 
 4   Over 700 people had submitted individual objections?     Ally    Fri Dec 21, 2012 21:17 
 5   Here we go     JH    Fri Dec 21, 2012 22:43 
 6   Energy sources     Bill    Sat Dec 22, 2012 09:00 
 7   CO2 emissions     Apatosaurus    Sat Dec 22, 2012 09:19 
 8   Jobs     Apatosaurus    Sat Dec 22, 2012 09:22 
 9   Mendips a ruined Commuterville already     Cloud in Trousers    Sat Dec 22, 2012 09:27 
 10   @ Bill     JH    Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:29 
 11   Biggest benefit is to the poor via lower fuel costs     JH    Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:35 
 12   Water pollution     Kieran    Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:37 
 13   Frackin and CO2     JH    Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:05 
 14   Frackin Boom!     JH    Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:07 
 15   U.S. companies are exporting fracking to Europe.     Earthling    Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:35 
 16   From the US, who have more experience of 'Fracking.'     Kieran    Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:18 
 17   Well do you???     Do you want coal?    Sat Dec 22, 2012 22:22 
 18   To JH     Kieran    Sun Dec 23, 2012 09:07 
 19   @ Kieran     JH    Sun Dec 23, 2012 10:44 
 20   Cut the Hype     Pudding Eater    Sun Dec 23, 2012 13:07 
 21   Try cutting the bollox     JH    Sun Dec 23, 2012 18:33 
 22   For JH     Kieran    Sun Dec 23, 2012 22:36 
 23   @ Kieran     Norm    Mon Dec 24, 2012 09:41 
 24   Could you be less idiotic please Kieran?     JH    Mon Dec 24, 2012 09:44 
 25   WHICH CHEMICALS?     Nell    Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:49 
 26   "cheap fuel for people"     Active    Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:06 
 27   The technical term is 'Injection'     Kieran    Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:11 
 28   They never wanna talk about the chemicals     Noter    Mon Dec 24, 2012 12:02 
 29   JH and Norm's reation speaks volumes...............     .    Mon Dec 24, 2012 12:25 
 30   show me the money     jerry maguire    Mon Dec 24, 2012 12:36 
 31   You really are having trouble with this arn't you     JH    Mon Dec 24, 2012 13:26 
 32   And to me it looks like the lone Alarmist with multiple personalities continues to deny reality.     JH    Mon Dec 24, 2012 13:36 
 33   show us the chemicals     jerry mandering    Mon Dec 24, 2012 13:42 
 34   Money is not the most important thing     James    Mon Dec 24, 2012 13:52 
 35   JH - many a slip twixt cup and lip     Pudding Eater    Mon Dec 24, 2012 14:25 
 36   Googling for beginners.     JH    Mon Dec 24, 2012 15:00 
 37   You are a paid shrill and I claim my five pounds     Kieran    Mon Dec 24, 2012 15:18 
 38   @ Pudding Eater     JH    Mon Dec 24, 2012 16:17 
 39   Misdirection from JH again     Carbon Based Lifeform    Mon Dec 24, 2012 18:06 
 40   Exactly as predicted     JH    Wed Dec 26, 2012 08:20 
 41   Thankful for the EU     jubjub    Fri Dec 28, 2012 19:11 
 42   cant wait!     lubbly bubbly jubbly    Fri Dec 28, 2012 20:42 
 43   Good for the EU     JH    Fri Dec 28, 2012 21:07 
 44   Over 700 people have submitted individual objections...     Megan T    Sat Dec 29, 2012 09:25 
 45   whats the difference between...     fracking and facebook    Sat Dec 29, 2012 22:10 


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