Friday 29 November 2013

UK - 'Fracking will not bring down fuel bills' - Lord Browne.

Fracking supremo and former BP Chief, mastermind of the Government's so called Royal Society of Engineering ( almost certainly created to whitewash the image of fracking ) and Chairman of Cuadrilla Resources ( main player at Blackpool and Balcombe ) has contradicted UK Government claims that fracking will bring down domestic energy bills..........................
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/29/browne-fracking-not-reduce-uk-gas-prices-shale-energy-bills

Mind you, he also said that fracking was 'existentially important'. But then again, he was  speaking at the LSE! Still working on that one - Ed.

Thursday 28 November 2013

France - MPs ( two of them ) back Shale Gas testing. But then......

Read how two French MPs appear to be acting as salesmen for the Shale Gas Industry here in The Connexion:http://www.connexionfrance.com/MPs-shale-gas-report-parliament-Bataille-Lenoir-15252-view-article.html

Bad timing. Wrong country. At least for the duration of this Presidency.

Friday 22 November 2013

French Scientists Advocate Testing for Shale Gas

Just as we anticipated many moons ago, the lobbyists for the DIRTY INDUSTRY are beginning to break down the resistance and in spite of all the readily available evidence world-wide concerning health risks, environmental desecration and the sheer lunacy of extracting yet one more fossil fuel at this late stage in the game are seriously suggesting that 'safe' and 'regulated' approaches to shale gas extraction may be adopted. Lunacy.

Read the report in The Connexion on-line here: http://connexionfrance.com/Academie-Sciences-shale-gas-Candel-15236-view-article.html

If this matter concerned you three years ago it should surely alarm you now.

Sunday 17 November 2013

WATERLESS FRACKING - really? That's not the point.

In the November 25th issue of Time Magazine in a section devoted to 'The 25 Best Inventions of 2013' we read the following piece of nonsense.............

Energy

Waterless Fracking

The debate over fracking is a debate over water. Greens figure that fracking fluid could contaminate water supplies. Solution: lose the water. Canadian company Gasfrac uses gelled liquid petroleum rather than water to frack wells. The gel evaporates underground, eliminating the risk of contamination. Energy companies save money, and greens save their breath'.

We probably cannot expect better from a magazine that routinely carries several whole page ads by the likes of Chevron, claiming to have the best interests of the environment at heart.

Either these people are extremely stupid, or they are very clever and actually believe their own hype and expect us to believe it to. Water usage and contamination is a major concern but it is only one. As we have said so often, logistics, noise, landscape desecration, airborne methane and much, much more is a real concern. Shale Gas is yet one more fossil fuel that we should not be extracting at this crucial point in time. Shale Gas is not an 'interim solution' it does not have emissions lower than coal when all factors are considered and is not 'natural'.

The link between climate change, the burning of fossil fuels and warming-induced catastrophes such as that just witnessed in the Phillipines are now beyond doubt and yet the 'dirty industry' ploughs on regardless. Even UK Prime Minister D.Cameron has linked climate change to the events in the Phillipines and yet his own approach is to back fracking 100% whilst cutting support for investment in renewable sources. Is he missing the point like Gasfrac or could he just be very clever. Hang on............

Read Dave's contribution here: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/16/david-cameron-climate-change-typhoon-haiyan

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Saturday 9 November 2013

Fracking tragedy looming for the UK - and just who cares???

Fracking 'is safe... and it's coming soon' - Declares Minister Michael Fallon - report in the Daily Telegraph here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fracking/10437394/Fracking-is-safe...-and-its-coming-soon.html

Households “right across the South” should prepare for gas fracking to begin in their areas, a senior minister warns

Households “right across the South” should prepare for gas fracking to begin in their areas, a senior minister has warned.
Michael Fallon says that in the next few weeks, a study by the water industry will conclude that fracking will not contaminate the water supply.
He told The Telegraph that places such as Wiltshire, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex will become centres of the potential source of energy. The Conservative minister, who has posts at the business and energy departments, said Britain had the scope to emulate US states such as Texas in exploiting shale gas.
Mr Fallon also pledged to block wind farms, saying that only one in three sites is being approved following planning restrictions.
In other comments, he said energy bills would be “pegged back” when the Coalition cuts green levies on power next month, and that the Conservatives could fight the next election on a promise to reduce taxes for lower-paid workers by increasing the income tax threshold above £10,000.
 Mr Fallon was this week named minister of the year by The Spectator magazine because of his successful management of the Royal Mail privatisation.
He will now focus on trying to win wider acceptance for fracking.
Fears about the process are “myths” and it could provide “the most exciting home-grown source of energy we’ve seen for years”, he said. Fracking is a method of extracting small pockets of gas trapped in rocks by pumping in pressurised water. Advocates say it could produce large amounts of cheap energy, but critics fear it will cause environmental damage.
Water UK, which represents water companies, expressed fears about fracking earlier in the year and began a study.
Mr Fallon said its report will conclude that fracking is largely safe, and will say there is no risk of contamination of water supplies. The report will be part of a drive by the Government to dispel fears about shale gas, which have led to protests against energy firms considering fracking — protests backed by some Tory MPs.
The water industry study follows research from Public Health England which said last month that fracking did not pose a serious medical risk.
“There are genuine concerns, but there are also myths and we are tackling them,” Mr Fallon said.
Shale gas exploration has so far been concentrated in the North, but Mr Fallon said the South could also be in line for fracking. Next year, the British Geological Survey will publish a map of the “southern basin” of England, identifying sites most likely to be rich in shale gas.
“It’s right across the South we’re talking about: Wiltshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, into Kent,” said Mr Fallon, the MP for Sevenoaks. Ministers have reduced the regulatory barriers to fracking, clearing the way for the industry to spread across the country, he said, adding: “There is shale in the Midlands too.”
Mr Fallon said he had discussed fracking recently with Rick Perry, the governor of Texas. He admitted that the state had little in common with the Home Counties, but said: “He was telling me about the number of new businesses that shale had brought to Texas — technology companies, energy companies, lots of new jobs.
“There are differences, but the potential is there and we should check it out.” 

We comment as follows:

a. We wonder just what has persuaded the Water Supply Industry to change its mind. Massive evidence to the contrary is widely available in spite of the embargo on EPA reports out of the US largely resulting from the continued sidestepping of the Clean Water Drinking Act first introduced by Bush/Cheney & Co. We wonder if the Industry is still as concerned as it seemed to be just six months ago about the massive quantities of clean water required. We understand that supplies are to be sold to the frackers at a lower rate than to domestic consumers.

b. Wiltshire, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex. Cameron has told MPs to ignore the legitimate concerns of voters in these areas.

c. Wind farms. The 'Greenest Government Ever' is now effectively blocking the exploration of renewable sources ( having already exhibited an antipathy to the solar industry ) whilst fully supporting its chums in the fossil fuel industry. Cutting green levies on power next month is just one more sign. As ever, closer and closer to the American model.

d. Fallon named 'Minister of the Year'!  First of all by The Spectator - so no surprises there and then for his 'successful management' of the Royal Mail privatization. Hardly a measure of competence we would have thought. 

e. 'Focus on trying to win wider acceptance for fracking'? What? By steamrollering it through no doubt.

f. The myth of 'myths'! The largely ignorant/indifferent UK populace will easily be convinced.

g. Mr Fallon said that the UK Water Report concludes that fracking is 'largely safe'. Bizaare. At least, bizaare to anyone who takes the trouble to spend even 30 minutes doing serious internet research. 

h. WHO are Public Health England we wonder? 'Fracking does not pose a serious medical risk'?!!! Just what was the basis of their research we wonder?

j. 'Ministers have reduced the regulatory barriers to fracking'. Ah, but we though that it would only be carried out with 'adequate regulations in place'. Which applies?

k. 'There are differences ( between Texas and the UK )'. Well yes, minister there surely are!

l. Jobs - lots of them. The bulk of them temporary and those at the well head  assuredly unhealthy.








Friday 8 November 2013

'David Cameron was wrong........................................'

Here in the Daily Telegraph ( yes, we read that one too ) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fracking/10433041/David-Cameron-was-wrong-to-raise-publics-hopes-on-fracking-says-energy-expert.html?fb we see that UK PM D.Cameron actually got over-excited about the prospect of fracking bringing down utility bills.

Much of what the industry claims is underground can never, ever be extracted and in any case, much of what is finally extracted will be sold abroad to the highest bidder. By then of course, the countryside will be devastated.