UK to allow Fracking [Hydraulic Fracturing] for shale gas

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In a controversial move, Mr. Edward Davey, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary of the UK has granted permission for exploratory fracking operations ( See http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2012/dec/13/fracking-shale-gas-uk-davey). This move comes even as the rest of western Europe is vehemently opposed to it due to several reasons such as environmental and public health concerns etc.. The topic is particularly pertinent to this group because the technology of hydraulic fracturing or fracking as it is popularly called requires ENORMOUS quantities of fresh water - a precious resource that is already scarce in many parts of the world including some regions in the UK. #Fracking mixture contains (by weight) 98.3% #water and #sand + 1.7% of chemicals (approx 133 tons!) (See http://ecowatch.org/2012/meet-the-frack-family/).

3 Answers

  1. Thank you for your comments Felicia and Aseem. From what I can tell from the 'Synopsis of main questions raised in responses to DECC consultation on mitigation of seismic risks from hydraulic fracturing for shale gas, with government responses' (available: http://og.decc.gov.uk/assets/og/ep/onshore/7268-sg-qa.pdf), these questions have apparently been posed to the UK government. I'm concerned on several accounts especially with questions/statements such as "Why has a full public consultation of all aspects of shale gas fracking not been undertaken?" or "There are no documented cases of shale gas operations, whether exploration or production, causing subsidence or earthquakes large enough to cause damage at the surface" or statements such as "Polyacrylamide friction reducers (0.075%), commonly used in cosmetics and facial creams, suspended in a hydrocarbon carrier" ( which aims to reassure the general public. However, this would not be so reassuring if only one realized that the cosmetics and facial creams industry is very poorly regulated in the first place!) There are several risks associated with fracking. I hope the entire UK government won't be as dismissive about environmental and public health concerns as the mayor of London seems to be. His recent statement about the issue " In their mad denunciations of fracking, the Greens and the eco-warriors betray the mindset of people who cannot bear a piece of unadulterated good news. Beware this new technology, they wail. Do not tamper with the corsets of Gaia! Don’t probe her loamy undergarments with so much as a finger — or else the goddess of the earth will erupt with seismic revenge. Dig out this shale gas, they warn, and our water will be poisoned and our children will be stunted and our cattle will be victims of terrible intestinal explosions." (Available : http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2012/dec/13/fracking-shale-gas-uk-davey)

  2. That is good news for UK but how to use the dirty water resulting in fracking ?

  3. Hi Kiran thanks for sharing the news but we know that water contamination is one ugly side of fracking that must not be overlooked. Water is a staple of daily existence and when wells are polluted because of the chemicals used for the process, it can be expected that poor health, poor sanitation and poor environment will become major problems. Even earthquakes can not be overlooked, i wonder how UK government is going to justify this.