Farming and Gas Fracking

colrow

From RigZone

Onshore UK looks to be on its way to becoming a major region of interest for large energy companies hoping to exploit shale gas resources after GDF Suez S.A. made a deal with Dart Energy Corp. to farm into some of Dart's licenses that cover the Bowland Basin in northwest England.

The French company's move into the Bowland shale, as well as a few of Dart's coal-bed methane projects, followed UK integrated energy firm Centrica’s own Bowland Basin deal with Cuadrilla Resources this summer.

The gigantic gas resources estimated to exist within the Bowland Basin are enough explanation on their own to justify the interest from major energy companies. The Bowland Basin is believed by the British Geological Survey to hold as much as 1,300 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of shale gas; Cuadrilla's licenses are estimated to contain some 300 Tcf while Dart is thought to be sitting on around 110 Tcf in its Bowland licenses.

However, the UK's positive political climate towards shale gas is also encouraging those international firms wanting to develop shale gas in Europe to look to the country as other European nations vacillate over drilling for unconventional hydrocarbons.

In GDF's own country, President Francois Holland (elected for a seven-year term in 2012) stated in July this year: "As long as I am president, there will be no shale gas exploration in France."

This policy by the French President might also explain why the country's leading oil and gas business, Total S.A., has also expressed an interest in the UK's burgeoning shale gas industry. Total Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie was reported at the start of October to have said that his company is in talks to take a stake in a UK project and is also considering bidding in next year's onshore licensing round.

Indeed, the Total Chief Executive called on the ban on hydraulic fracturing for shale gas in his homeland to be lifted in February this year.


Other Western European countries whose governments have not yet allowed the practice of fracking for shale gas include Germany and the Netherlands, while in Spain, Repsol was forced to delay its first shale gas project in the country this summer due to a regional government outlawing fracking.

By contrast, the UK government has been highly supportive of the shale gas industry ever since it lifted its fracking ban last December. In August, UK Prime Minister David Cameron voiced his support for the country's nascent shale gas industry, while September saw UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne demonstrate his commitment to the shale gas sector in a speech made to the oil and gas industry at Aberdeen's Offshore Europe conference.

Meanwhile, although there was a high-profile protest against Cuadrilla Resources exploring for onshore oil in southern England during the late summer/early autumn this year, the public mood towards hydraulic fracturing for shale gas in the northwest England where the Bowland shale is located appears to be much improved. In mid-October, a survey by research firm BritainThinks found that 57 percent of people who live within the Bowland Basin license area now either strongly support or support shale gas exploration – compared with just 44 percent in October 2012.

In a recent phone call with Rigzone, a GDF spokesman explained the company has been looking at shale gas opportunities in several countries – including Poland, Algeria, Brazil and China – but that the UK was the very first in which it has invested in shale gas development. The spokesman highlighted the major potential of the Bowland Basin shale as well as the country's "supportive framework" for shale gas drilling as key factors, as well as the fact that GDF is already involved in offshore exploration in the UK, particularly via its development of the Cygnus project – one of the largest gas fields in the UK North Sea.

Now, the UK shale gas industry will be keeping a close eye on who Total is talking to as it sets about pulling off similar deal to those achieved by Centrica and GDF.

- See more at: http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/130248/Foreign_Interest_in_UK_Shale_Gas_Steps_Up/?all=HG2#sthash.1bXSrwPq.dpuf

Johnboy1951

It reads like a story about a lot of vultures gathering around a fresh corpse ......

Old diesel

bbam wrote: »

I think I agree.
And with the interconnector cable were already consuming power generated with nuclear. And it's already so close it may as we'll be here.

Good pont bbam - we are very close to a nuclear plant already - but im used to that now (and rightly or wrongly) don't give it a second thought.

Would be very slow to entertain the idea of fracking - its not something im comfy with at all - and id almost prefer a nuclear plant to it - for all its faults - Nuclear is working away all day every day - and a lot of the issues with nuclear incidents appear (to me) to be caused by things that could be ironed out on newer plants.

From memory for example - that Japanese plant that went whollop was quite an old one wasn't it??? - oh and by a big event that we would be very unlikely to see here (imo)

Old diesel

Btw - im not a lover of nuclear either - but given the option of that or Fracking???? - its almost a case of going for the less bad option - which I think might be Nuclear

keep going

All il say is thank god the yanks are doing it otherwise I dread to think what it would cost to live

Birdnuts

Old diesel wrote: »

Btw - im not a lover of nuclear either - but given the option of that or Fracking???? - its almost a case of going for the less bad option - which I think might be Nuclear

Personally I think a combination of Nuclear and gas makes the most sense in terms of price, environmental considerations etc. The UK is about to undergo its biggest expansion in Nuclear power for 20 years with a major new power stations in the SW and upgrades to others

colrow

A friend of ours got a gold prospecting licence for somewhere in Mayo, a Canadian mining co is investing for further prospecting, to see if its worth developing.

I think the gold is measured as so many grams recovered per ton of crushed rock.
I'm not to sure, but I think the rock is pulverised to a powder, agitated with water, then mercury is added to capture the grains of gold, the amalgam is then treated with prussic acid to get the gold.

These two things are very toxic, and the amount of spoil to produce a few oz's of gold, much be enormous. I'd rather see a well controlled fracking site, well landscaped etch. to vast areas of spoil and lakes of toxic material, which would have a greater impact on the environment.

Old diesel

Birdnuts wrote: »

Personally I think a combination of Nuclear and gas makes the most sense in terms of price, environmental considerations etc. The UK is about to undergo its biggest expansion in Nuclear power for 20 years with a major new power stations in the SW and upgrades to others

My big concern with fracking is the potential impact on agriculture and tourism - and water supplies should something happen that shouldn't

Thing to remember too - is that if Irelands countryside was minded well and kept nice - we could still have farming and tourism (plus potential new industries in rural Ireland) for many years. Fracking - has only a limited lifespan as I understand it - as there is only so much gas there

There is a risk with Nuclear also - but as said the Uk - our neighbours are going that way - and already have nuclear.

Risk is already thus there with nuclear - wheras fracking introduces new risk.

Also I think nuclear could still be developed more to make it safer (using lessons already learned and existing knowledge) - fracking is still too new in terms of tech - to fully understand it.

colrow

http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/131417/UK_Shale_Driller_Cuadrilla_Returns_to_Frack_in_Lancashire/?pgNum=0

Old diesel

Country does face a bit of a delimma regarding its future energy supplies - many people are objecting to wind turbines (and pylons) - but one wonders - is it better to have too many wind turbines - than Fracking.

Its a big call - because there are alleged issues with turbines as well - but I would be inclined to think that having turbines in a community isn't as bad as fracking.

Would prefer lots of turbines near my house than fracking - and im certainly no turbine lover - but I do think theres potential to develop renewables - including wind turbines further.

Still feel that fracking is a massive step backwards in an era when environment is a key priority.


Ultimately my preference of one or the other would come down to - what of the two options is better for pleasant community living going into the future.

One way or the other - the future of Rural Ireland (negative/positive) will be massively impacted by the decisions to come

colrow

That's my thoughts as well, I wouldn't be happy have fracking near me, not that I'd be worried by the scare mongering, but the heavy traffic and disruption while the wells were explored/developed, and pipelines built to export the gas.

We have 4 turbines newly built here, the disruption to traffic, destruction of the roads with all the heavy traffic, wasn't pleasant, but now it is finished, its a pleasant looking site, and its earning money. There's 4 wind data collection towers dotted around, looking at the feasibility of more turbines, so I hope they build some more.

I've worked in Holland a lot and the place is festooned with wind turbines, and I asked how they got on with the environmentalists protesting etc, the people I talked to replied that they were ignored, as the most important thing was energy for the country.

Old diesel

How close are you to the turbines Colrow as a matter of interest

I take it you don't have any issues with them

Btw - when I say theres potential to develop renewables more - I mean drive the technology forward more.

Would be nice to get more performance from individual turbines - so youd need less of them - so if you need 2,000 turbines to achieve a set level of electricity - that maybe in future - youd only need 1400 turbines to do the same work.

Other issue with Fracking - is that your still using a finite resource - so still the same as oil - so its not renewable.

I do find the stories you hear sometimes of people having to move out because they couldn't stick the low frequency noise (infrasounds) of turbines a turn off - but I find the scare stories on water supplies etc with fracking - a lot worse.

Would think good planning of turbines - and further advancing the tech would make them better in years to come (I hope)

colrow

Its Knockaneden Windfarm (maybe not spelt right) its 4 turbines of 2.4 MW each thats 9,6 MW in total I think. I've just seen in the Kerryman that the operators have donated 9k to locals groups. About 2 miles from me.

There's a farm next door to it and the animals seem ok to me, and asking around on the grapevine, there's no complaints from the farmer.

The turbines dominate the skyline, but I don't see them as an eyesore, watching the blades turn they look smooth and powerful.

As people nowadays like to see an old working windmill, maybe future generations will look on our turbines as sweet and cuddly ;-)

An old saying I've heard " Where theres muck, Theres Money "

In the early North sea oil days, old rigs were just sank, or left to rot spewing their toxic contaminents.

Now they have to be properley and responsibly de-commissioned by legislation.

Now there is a very lucrative industry doing this work.

I'm sure the same will happen with Fracking.

colrow

http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/cairn-energy-drill-programme-in-clare-a-step-closer-257984.html

Old diesel

colrow wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/cairn-energy-drill-programme-in-clare-a-step-closer-257984.html

Is this actually fracking though

It seems to be saying its "off the coast of Clare too" - how would that change impact on communities??? if that were the case

Waestrel

Old diesel wrote: »

Is this actually fracking though

It seems to be saying its "off the coast of Clare too" - how would that change impact on communities??? if that were the case

Looks like conventional oil exploration.

colrow

Old diesel wrote: »

Is this actually fracking though

It seems to be saying its "off the coast of Clare too" - how would that change impact on communities??? if that were the case

Well its got to come to land somewhere and be processed, processed etc.

Old diesel

colrow wrote: »

Well its got to come to land somewhere and be processed, processed etc.

True - but normal oil exploration isn't as bad as fracking imo.

colrow

Old diesel wrote: »

True - but normal oil exploration isn't as bad as fracking imo.

Gulf of Mexico......The Piper Alpha Disaster............Exxon Valdiz.......Torrey Canyon...............

Old diesel

colrow wrote: »

Gulf of Mexico......The Piper Alpha Disaster............Exxon Valdiz.......Torrey Canyon...............

Fair points - I wasn't saying it was GOOD - more saying its not as bad as fracking.

Im no export - but would have thought youd have a better chance of controlling the potential risks with normal drilling for oil - when compared with fracking.

Tbh - Im not a lover of the idea of drilling for oil off the Clare coast - but we will have to see how the risks can be managed.

colrow

Well the investment of drilling offshore is very high, and the further they have to explore in deeper waters, massivley increases the cost and potential damage.

Here's a report from the US, about them becoming capable of producing their own oil/gas requirements.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/02/07/falling-oil-imports/5268819/

If that could be exploited here, we'd be a rich country, of course with all possible safeguards in place. Nothing is without risk, but the risks can be minimised.

Johnboy1951

If that could be exploited here, we'd be a rich country, of course with all possible safeguards in place. Nothing is without risk, but the risks can be minimised.

that might be wishful thinking ...... somebody would get rich, but I am not so sure it would be us/Ireland

colrow

Certainly wishful thinking.

I worked at Sullom Voe up in the Shetlands in the 70's, and the Shetlands Islands Council made sure that for every barrel of oil that passed through the facility, they got a royalty. A few pence doesn't seem much, but all the oil that was produced in the North Sea passed through there.

That money was doled out to the community, via community centres, fish farms, swimming pools, job creation, not to mention the golf courses and private airfields.

Norway acted prudently, by starting Sovereign Fund which is the biggest in the world.

It just needs forward looking, "Prudent" forward looking governance, not as its been with cronyism, I'm all right Jack, plundering by the .......................

colrow

I never thought they would be using Diesel as a fracking fluid.

http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?hpf=1&a_id=131566&utm_source=DailyNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2014-02-12&utm_content=&utm_campaign=feature_1

Johnboy1951

colrow wrote: »

I never thought they would be using Diesel as a fracking fluid.

http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?hpf=1&a_id=131566&utm_source=DailyNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2014-02-12&utm_content=&utm_campaign=feature_1

It would appear that there is an acceptance that the fracking fluids will get into the underground water, and this provision is to prevent any of the diesels specified being part of that contamination.

As far as I am aware the fracking fluids and their exact constituents, are closely guarded secrets, so we have no idea what might be injected into our water supplies as a result of fracking.

Old diesel

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

It would appear that there is an acceptance that the fracking fluids will get into the underground water, and this provision is to prevent any of the diesels specified being part of that contamination.

As far as I am aware the fracking fluids and their exact constituents, are closely guarded secrets, so we have no idea what might be injected into our water supplies as a result of fracking.

Not exactly helpful to our green image

For what its worth - I welcome new industry - but NOT if said industry causes problems for existing industries - whether that's farming, tourism or any other industry.

Seems pointless bringing in an industry for say 3,000 jobs - if it damages industries that have a lot more jobs.

Bear in mind too - that if you damage an industry that's there already - you not only lose existing jobs - but you lose the potential that industry may have had in the future.

Hence one needs to be VERY careful in my book when looking at fracking as a potential industry for Ireland

colrow

I remember saying that a gas platform,Iwhere I commissioned the Control and Safety Systems was going to use fracking to open up the wells, where I am sure there are ecological and safety barriers to consider. Someone said they very much doubted it was true, but I just shrugged my shoulders and thought, I know that its true, and I couldn't be arsed getting into an arguement.

Being a bit bored looking after kids, I just googled the platform and all the info is in the link. REA is the company running the rig and they are one of the co's looking to develop fracking in the UK.

http://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/clipper-south-gas-field-north-sea/

colrow

Another little snippet from an academic in America.

His advise to the environmentalists, is to stop protesting, as they are wasting their time.

And devote their energy into making sure it is well regulated.

http://oilpro.com/post/3009/a-freight-train-on-steroids-academic-says-fracking-can-t-be-stopped

Old diesel

colrow wrote: »

Another little snippet from an academic in America.

His advise to the environmentalists, is to stop protesting, as they are wasting their time.

And devote their energy into making sure it is well regulated.

http://oilpro.com/post/3009/a-freight-train-on-steroids-academic-says-fracking-can-t-be-stopped

In Ireland its probably best to stop it - as one thing you can be sure - if theres perceived easy money involved - the ONE THING an Irish Govt WON'T do is regulate it so communities are protected .

I don't think the Irish official love for big developers has gone away - as anyone with an interest in how wind turbines are planned - or rather not planned in this country - may have noticed.

Muckit

Paul Melia has a 2 page report in the Indo today for anyone that's interested.