Gaz de Schiste - Crunch time!

The commission of inquiry set up under the loi Jacob of 13th July 2011 banning hydraulic fracking and tasked with assessing aspects of likely reserves underground, the effect on the environment, climate and more, delivered its report on 22nd March 2012. It does not make good reading.

The commission, as expected, had an imbalance in its membership of representatives of the oil and gas industry, 'scientific and technical experts' and elected representatives. Environmental associations were in a minority. The 'final' report concludes that exploration, including propane fracturation and electro-fracturation which are proposed as alternatives to hydraulic fracturing, may take place under the banner of 'scientific research' and under 'strict public control'.  The authors are in favour of a 'limited number of wells'. We consider that this is in direct contradiction of the spirit if not the letter of the loi Jacob. They have further determined that there is a need to look at the 'richness' underground at the same time taking 'the maximum precautions'. Drilling experiments will commence in the area of the Paris Basin where there are existing permits and then follow on 'elsewhere'. Timetable: first half of 2012 = 'evaluation of techniques for exploration and exploitation' ( to be made public as a direct result of pressure from environmental groups ). Second half of 2012 and first half of 2013 = 'collation of findings produced by employing conventional bore holes to assess the location of oil and gas reserves'. Second half of 2013 = 'proposition for a new law and parliamentary vote'.

It is understood that the permit application for Beaumont de Lomagne (10,405 km2 : BNK Petroleum ) covering the Lot, Dordogne, Tarn-et-Garonne, Ariège and Gers ( including Mirande: Gas2Grid) is now 'under instruction'. The Conseil General of the Lot-et-Garonne are now to undertake a formal study of the risks from drilling. The Cahors permis application remains 'en cours'.

You may well wish to read the above more than once. We have condensed the information from a wide range of sources including governmental and other sites, press reports and commentary from contacts in the French environmental movement and of course the orginal report ( Décret No 2012-385 du 21 mars 2012 relatif à la Commission nationale d'orientation de suivi et d'évaluation des techniques d'exploration et d'exploitation des hydrocarbures liquides et gazeux ). We apologise for any possible minor errors that may have slipped in. Either way, it really is time to for us all to decide just exactly where we stand. It is vital that elected representatives ( the very ones that we ex-patriots are able to vote for ) be approached in this matter since local maires and members of each Conseil General will play a vital role in determining outcomes. It is even more important for us to show solidarity with our French colleagues in supporting initiatives such as the demonstration referred to in our last blog and all those that will surely follow in the coming months. It is vital that as many of your contacts/friends as possible who may be affected by this abomination be informed. Please therefore use every channel available ( address book, Facebook, Twitter etc to spread the word as soon as possible ). Thank you.

3 Legged fracking video hits YouTube!

When you have just 4 minutes to spare do treat yourself to a glimpse of the hugely reassuring (sic ) fracking video recently posted on YouTube by Messrs 3 Legs Resources. With just 56 views to date it hardly seems likely to go viral, but for sheer entertainment value does take some beating! Note the syrupy tones of the narrator, the constant inclusion of buzz words ( environment, agriculture, tight regulation, domestic fluids etc ) and the fact of the huge cost of the operation ( to them ) and marvel at the sheer 'accident-free' efficiency of the entire operation. Almost good enough to eat! Then ask yourself how you might like one of those derrick thingys in the field opposite or yet again just how they manage to heave all that hardware into place without destroying local roads and your entire quality of life in the process. And then there is the small question of the water deployed.

See it on You Tube by clicking here or simply enter '3 Legs Resources' in the You Tube search box. Enjoy.

Oh, should you wish to congratulate them on such an amateur piece of visual and aural tosh you will be disappointed to find that 'Adding comments has been disabled for this video'. We wonder why.

Purely for the record, there would no longer appear to be any mention of France on their site. Right.

Maires in the Var prepared to stand up and be counted!

We have just received notice of an encouraging report in the on-line version of the French News which describes measures proposed by maires in the Var Departement to obstruct the upcoming presidential elections in their region in the event of candidates being unwilling to give assurances regarding shale gas exploration/exploitation. Here is the link to the report by journalist Ken Pottinger


You will see from our last report that other measures are progressively being introduced including local laws or arrêtés banning the use of roads and water for instance. Numerous communes in the Lot including the Grand Cahors administration have taken such powers.

You may wish to ask your maire if anything similar is planned.

UMP deputé calls for repeal of Anti-Fracking law

What part of Non! don’t they understand?

A UMP deputé has organised a conference this Tuesday (17th Jan) calling for the repeal of the anti-fracking law. This is the loi Jacob passed last summer which banned fracking in France. François-Michel Gonnot and energy industry lobbyists are attempting to bring pressure to bear on the French government to repeal one of the most popular laws passed in France for decades, and one which was supported by every political party in the country.

Cahors says Non!

Saturday saw demonstrations of support for the anti-fracking law outside government offices all over France. M. Gonnot is of the opinion that the money to be made from fracking is worth the damage it will do to the environment. He stated that he “saw no reason to abstain from exploiting this resource when so many other countries were already benefitting from it.” That so many people were prepared to turn out and re-state their opposition to this damaging technology should make it clear that he is out of tune with the national mood.

So far, of course, these 'other countries' have not benefited at all, as very little gas is actually flowing. Also the estimates of how much gas is under the ground vary wildly. The oil and gas companies always talk them up, but at the same time they are very coy about how much they can actually get out. In short, exploitation could do a lot of irreparable damage for very little gain.

President Sarkozy personally endorsed  the anti-fracking policy when celebrating the granting of Unesco World Heritage status to the Cevennes region. Maybe M Gonnot should ask M Sarkozy, if the run-up to an election, with France’s international credit rating on the slide,  is a good time to put on this display of corporate greed and further alienate the UMP from the vast majority of the French voters.

As we have suggested in the past the battle is not won, the gas companies will keep coming back, we must be prepared to keep telling them that Non! means Non!


For a refresher on the main objections to gaz de schiste and hydraulic fracturing click here: (A Dozen Devastating Denials of Gaz de Schiste)

Wastewater issues +Fracking hits SE England!

Two new items which give perspective in this matter...

First, from this week's European edition of Time Magazine:-

'Ohio Earthquakes'
 After a 4.0 earthquake shook Youngstown, Ohio on December 31st - the second in a week and the 11th in the area since March - even state authorities had to wonder whether the local boom in natural gas fracking wells could be to blame. Fracking, a process in which water is blasted underground to break rocks and release methane gas, has helped revive rural economies from Ohio to New England. BUT, wastewater is often injected deep underground afterwards, leading, some scientists believe, to tremblors, once rare in Ohio. For now, state officials have shut one particularly active waste well for analysis.


Second from the Guardian:-

'Fracking company chief (Cuadrilla) to face critics in south-east England'

Chief Executive of Cuadrilla, which drilled for shale gas near Blackpool, is to meet residents opposed to fracking in Sussex. Now the sparks should fly! See link:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/10/fracking-chief-critics-south-east

Naturally, we will continue to keep you informed of events in France up to and beyond the Presidential elections but in the meantime if you have anything of interest please do contact the team directly via this site. Once again, we would encourage you to join the debate by signing in and making comment on this or any other articles.

Finally, those who read and enjoy the magazine Le Forty Six will be able to read an update by one of our team in the next issue to be published on 15th February.

Looks Promising – but who can you trust?

4 OCTOBER  2011

ECOLOGY minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet has cancelled three permits to drill for shale gas across large swathes of the south of France, including one by French oil giant Total.

The permits, granted by former ecology minister Jean-Louis Borloo in spring 2010, were cancelled after the companies involved –Total and US-based Schuepbach Energy – did not rule out using now-banned hydraulic fracturing to extract any gas found.

The permits were for vast regions known as Nant (Aveyron, Lozère and Hérault), Villeneuve-de-Berg in the Ardèche – which were held by Schuepbach – and Total’s Montélimar which stretches along the Rhône from the Drôme to the Gard and Montpellier.

Ms Kosciusko-Morizet’s decision comes as President Sarkozy visits the Gard today to celebrate Unesco’s classification of the Causses et Cévennes in its world heritage list.

Thanks to: Connexion [more...]

 The thinking here at Schiste Towers is that this is as much about Sharkey’s positioning before next year’s presidential election as it is about protecting the environment. We must remember who was President and which party was in power when the permits were granted in the first place - Sarko and his centre-right UMP. He is slipping in the ratings. The socialist party (PS) recently won a majority in the Senate and are getting their act together after their front runner Dominique Strauss-Kahn shot himself in the foot and had to withdraw from the race. Sarko is a worried bunny.
 
The Jacobi law was intended to ban the expolitation of shale gas completely but was watered down and now only bans fracking. It is being challenged by the PS tomorrow (6 Oct) with a view to strengthening it. There is no doubt that yesterday's world heritage gimmick was to some extent designed to take the reduce the chances of the this challenge succeeding. The UMP can say the present law is doing the job and does not need strengthening. By leaving it in place it leave the door open for an uncertain future.


So while we can afford a brief moment of appreciation for a job well done (‘Well done all of you’) we can not relax as there is still a lot of money to be made and these gas companies will stop at nothing to get it. And no one knows what a future government will do. 

Watch this space…

Newsletter 21 September 2011

HEADLINES

“Gaz de Schiste production has not been banned”

“The gas companies are re-applying for permits”

“ Gas companies may not be telling the truth”

“Environmental damage is still a real threat”

Click here for the latest news in the

Schiste Happens Newsletter 21 September 2011

Thanks from

The Schiste Happens Team

3Legs Jackpot (again) for the Jeffcocks

3 Legs, the company that is applying for the Cahors and Valence permits in France, will be listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in London next week.

As we understand it…a loss-making company that was valued at £10.2 million in 2007 is apparently now worth £161 million (according to its brokers) on the basis of drilling two-and-a-half test wells in Poland, partly funded by a third-party. It’s a little hard to get one’s head around, particularly when the shale gas industry is coming under increasing scrutiny in Europe (drilling in Blackpool is currently suspended and the French Government appears to have banned hydraulic fracturing for the time being). What’s altogether easier to understand is that the main beneficiaries of this exercise will be the Jeffcock family, who are likely to pick up a handy £4 million in the offering, or £10 million if the over-allotment is exercised.

AIM investors may have short memories, but some of them may remember that the Jeffcocks were also behind Cadogan Petroleum (temporarily suspended from trading shortly after listing in 2008), which has now lost over 80% of its listing value, and Vane Minerals (75% loss of value to date). Investors with even longer memories may also remember Authoriszor, the gold mining venture that became an Internet company, in which Mr Jeffcock and Mr Williams (another 3Legs shareholder who is selling shares in the float) were involved… It will be interesting to see how the listing (Pathfinder) document  handles all this.

Caveat emptor…, or should that be watch out for a “load of hot air” as their Chairman, Tim Eggar, might say?

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/8566822/3Legs-Resources-in-160m-Aim-flotation.html#disqus_thread

Blackpool Earthquakes - the analysis.

Our colleague, Belinda Berry, who manages, researches and writes the Say No to Shale Gas blog has contacted Brian Baptie at the British Geological Survey in relation to the Blackpool earthquakes.

He has found some truly remarkable coincidences in terms of time and proximity to the the drilling activity undertaken by Messrs Cuadrilla. We understand that the University of Keele has also produced relevant data.

Have a look at her piece entitled 'Shaken but not stirred - a Cuadrilla cocktail' on the site.

UK Shale Gas drilling suspended after further earthquakes occur.

The BBC has reported further earthquakes in close proximity to the shale gas drilling operations currently being carried out by Messrs Cuadrilla ( Lichfield ). Links..........

" Drilling at the UK's first shale gas site is suspended after a magnitude 1.5 earthquake near Blackpool, the second since April".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-13599161

Video available at http://www.channel4.com/news/blackpool-earthquake-halts-shale-gas-drilling.

Both the British Geological Survey and the University of Keele have verified the disturbances and whilst are unable to prove a direct link to drilling operations point out the extremely close proximity and coincidental time frame." Cuadrilla Resources said that it had stopped hydraulic fracturing, or fracking - the process of pummelling rocks deep underground with high-pressure water, sand and chemicals - while it studied data from the quakes and consulted with experts. We expect that this analysis and subsequent consultation will take a number of weeks to conclude and we will decide on appropriate actions after that". Said Chief Executive Mark Miller.

We think it likely that they will find no causal connection and then continue on their merry way. Of course, we may be wrong.

Cuadrilla may be contacted at : http://www.cuadrillresources.com/contact-us/   
or by letter: Cudrilla Resources Ltd., Cuadrilla House, Stowe Court, Stowe Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 6AQ (UK).

Shale gas gets support from UK MPs

Source - The Guardian Monday 23rd May 2011 - article by Environment Correspondent Fiona Harvey.

Shale gas drilling in the UK has been given the go-ahead by MPs in a new report looking at the impact it could have on water supplies, energy security and energy emissions.  They have rejected the idea of any kind of moratorium.
Snippets -
'The inquiry found no evidence (!) that the hydraulic fracturing process involved in shale gas extraction known as 'fracking' poses a direct risk to underground water aquifers provided the drilling well was constructed properly. They also concluded that a moratorium in the UK is not justified (!) or necessary at present'. So, what price public consultation?

'MPs urge the DECC (Dept. of Energy & Climate Change) to monitor drilling activity extremely closely in its early stages in order to assess its impact on air and water quality'.  And just how likely is this in a climate of extreme cost cutting?

'Onshore shale gas reserves in the UK could be quite considerable and will certainly help us increase our energy capacity - though not, unfortunately very dramatically'.  So, to hell with the risk

'The emergence of shale gas increases the urgency of bringing carbon capture and storage technology to the market and making it work for gas as well as coal'.  Still in the early stages of development, so in the meantime, let's get on with fracking up the countryside. See TV quote below.

'Greenhouse gas emissions from gas are lower than coal (highly debatable see: http://noshalegas.wordpress.com/2011/04/13shining-a light-into-a-dark-closet/ ) but are still much higher than many low-carbon technologies - like nuclear, solar or wind power'.

TIM YEO MP (email: timyeomp@parliament.co.uk or via website www.timyeo.org.uk)

As Tim sees it:

'There are no unacceptable risks'.

'It is understandable that environmentalists have concerns about methane emissions from shale gas after YouTube videos from the US (methinks he means the award winning film Gaslands) apparently showed people setting fire to their tap water'.

'But if it has a downward effect on gas prices it could divert much needed investment away from lower carbon technologies like solar, wind, wave or tidal power'.  (Yes, Tim.)

'There has been a lot of hot air (!) recently about the dangers of shale gas drilling, but our inquiry found no evidence to support the main concern - that UK water supplies would be put at risk'.  Main concern for whom Tim?  What about the horrendous logistics (earth and water movement by road), 30-50m high derricks illuminated 24/7 and landscape desecration, not to mention concerns relating to all the chemicals deployed.

'But it is still unclear when, or indeed if, Carbon Capture Storage will become technologically and commercially viable'.  Indeed it is, so why proceed with yet another fossil fuel ahead of its development ?

'Onshore shale gas reserves in the UK could be quite considerable and will certainly help us to increase our energy security - though not, unfortunately, very dramatically'.  So the acknowledged risks (US, Canada, Germany, Australia have all experienced serious problems) are still worth taking then?

'The Government's regulatory agencies must of course be vigilant and monitor drilling closely to ensure that air and water quality is not affected'.  (Yes Tim, and at a time of swingeing cuts to public services/agencies we can surely rely upon that.)

If you are concerned for the remaining areas of outstanding natural beauty in the UK and are already horrified by the prospect of shale gas exploration as a result of what you have read on this site, at meetings here in France and in the media generally, then we urge you to contact Mr Yeo (and your own MP if you retain a vote in the UK) and let him know how you feel - without delay.  The current 'trick' is to push the whole concept 'up North', and by styling the location of current activities 'Blackpool' the industry is concealing the fact that it is the area of wild moorland known as the Trough of Bowland which is actually under threat.  The Weald and areas of S.Glamorgan are also believed to be threatened.  Where next?

MPs Vote for Fracking Ban

MPs have voted to ban the shale gas mining process of hydraulic fracturing in France.

The proposition was passed by 287 votes to 186, with the Socialist Party and green MPs voting against it because it did not constitute an outright ban of shale gas mining in France.

The latest proposition bans the technique of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, which uses a high-pressure blast of water, sand and chemicals to create a shockwave to break open cracks deep in the earth and shift the gas into collection areas.

Fracking, currently the only technique used to collect shale gas, has come into the spotlight for causing damage to drinking water supplies.

Thousands of protesters have marched against shale gas exploration, voicing fears of the damage that, beyond the danger to the water table, the transport of materials and drilling could cause to local communities.

All firms who currently hold shale gas exploration permits in France will need to produce a report ensuring that their mining technique is not fracking.

If hydraulic fracturing is used, or no report is produced, the drilling permits will be rescinded. The list of companies and their techniques will be made public.

The proposition leaves the door open for drilling experiments used to hone other methods of obtaining shale gas, held under public supervision.

Senators will debate the proposal on June 1.

Ecology Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, has told interviewers that the original granting of shale gas exploration permits by her predessor Jean-Louis Borloo was "a mistake."

Source http://www.connexionfrance.com/Shale-gas-drilling-ban-France-fracking-hydraulic-fracturing-12722-view-article.html

Beware tricks, smoke and mirrors in UMP debate

As feared the French goverenment appears to be watering down its own bill and easing the way for gas companies to carry on business as normal as reported in Connexions. So nothing new there then... watch this space for more horribly predictable political shenannigans.

From Connexions:
"AN AMENDMENT to the bill to ban shale gas exploration in France has become a smoke screen to allow drilling, claim Socialist MPs and environmentalists.

Many Socialist Party members fear the proposition from the UMP’s Christian Jacob is little more than a trick to get tacit approval for drilling, while ecologists have denounced the text as it has been changed from the original which gained widespread support. " MORE


Source Connexion:
http://www.connexionfrance.com/Shale-gas-socialist-ecology-vote-fear-trick-Borloo-Montcuq-12717-view-article.html

Montcuq Banner pix 9 May 2011

A couple of pix from the Montcuq press photo opportunity marking the debate in the National Assembly starting tomorrow: