What is fracking and what are its dangers

by Victor Cherubim

( June 27, 2015, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Fracking is a technique which frees natural gas by blasting underground rock with a mixture of millions of gallons of water, chemicals and sand. Hydraulic fracturing or fracking breaks apart gas bearing rock formations deep underground. Opponents say that it poses a threat, a danger to underground water and in fact blights the countryside. The Greens and environmentalist are against fracking and have vehemently opposed it over the years, as it industrialises swathes of beautiful countryside.

As North Sea reserves ran down in 2004, Britain has become a net importer of natural gas. With Brent crude prices falling from almost $116 a barrel last June 2014 to about almost $65 earlier this year, fracking in Britain though delayed by landowners as well as a sluggish planning process, has suddenly come into focus. The issue now is whether “shale gas” is viable to extract.

Biggest hurdle

The biggest hurdle in exploitation of this gas is the fact that all mineral rights in Britain belong to the Crown, whereas in the U.S. it is in private hands. While we are informed that there are over 20,000 shale wells in operation in the U.S, Britain has only one well fracked particularly since the first licence was granted in 2008.

Over the past week two sites in Lancashire were awaiting appeal as planning permission was refused. They are one at Preston New Road, near Little Plumpton and the other at Roseacre Wood near Keswick. The Local Councils have rejected both applications in January 2015.The arguments against planning is that they would create too much noise and the lorry traffic at Roseacre would pose a danger to local residents. Both sites are backed by Centrica, the owner of British Gas. Centrica’s shares have steadied in recent days on the prospect of Preston New Road site getting the green light.

There is more to it than meets the eye

When you add up climate disruption, water poisoning through contamination, fracking isn’t a dirty word in Britain, it is considered by many a dirty “process” that pollutes the air and water as well as blights the countryside.

Some researchers maintain that it can cause earthquakes.

The locals are lobbying to stop fracking in Britain and state they are willing to pay a little more for gas, if it means they get clean air and water, essential for life.

Progress has a price

Like industrialisation, coal mining and other life pursuits there is always a price to pay.

We saw this in the diseases that accompanied the industrial revolution. Remember, the coal dust, the long hours of hard labour, child poverty.

We need to put shale in context. The sheer scale of the discovery of shale gas in Britain may dwarf American resources by ten times. It means Britain now has the equivalent of 236 billion barrels of oil. At current prices it could be worth £9.5 trillion. Even if Britain extracts 10%, it is still worth £1 trillion, enough to give every man, woman and child in Britain £16,000.

What Cameron said?

“International evidence shows there is no reason why the process should cause contamination of water supplies or other environmental damage, if properly regulated. The regulatory system in this country is one of the most stringent in the world. If any shale gas well were to pose a risk of pollution, then we have all the powers we need to close it down.”

What the people say:

Public opinion in Britain has always been environmentally conservative. The Industrial Revolution changed Britain for ever. It brought wealth, power and status. The Age of Shale is soon to begin and it would take a while before we change Britain, or allow the shale gas to be shipped overseas and the companies pay little or no taxes. Britain will not be duped by fracking, is still echoed, but things can change.