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| British Villagers, Fearing Fracking, Protest Plan for Drilling | British Villagers, Fearing Fracking, Protest Plan for Drilling |
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| BALCOMBE, England — Despite the stakes, there was almost a festival spirit in this wealthy little village nestled in the hills of West Sussex. Children buzzed around an open-sided tent by the street and families spread blankets on the tiny village green. | BALCOMBE, England — Despite the stakes, there was almost a festival spirit in this wealthy little village nestled in the hills of West Sussex. Children buzzed around an open-sided tent by the street and families spread blankets on the tiny village green. |
| What brought them together on Thursday evening, though, was not a spring fair but deep worry. Cuadrilla Resources, a British energy company, is on the verge of drilling an exploratory oil well just down the road. Villagers see it as a possible precursor to the environmentally controversial drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. | What brought them together on Thursday evening, though, was not a spring fair but deep worry. Cuadrilla Resources, a British energy company, is on the verge of drilling an exploratory oil well just down the road. Villagers see it as a possible precursor to the environmentally controversial drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. |
| “Don’t frack my future,” read the children’s T-shirts as the youths munched on chocolate cupcakes. | “Don’t frack my future,” read the children’s T-shirts as the youths munched on chocolate cupcakes. |
| The villagers “are going through the grief process; they have just been told they have cancer,” said Alison Stevenson, chairwoman of the Balcombe Parish Council, a local government body. A recent survey conducted by the parish council found that more than 80 percent of the 284 respondents wanted the council to oppose fracking. | The villagers “are going through the grief process; they have just been told they have cancer,” said Alison Stevenson, chairwoman of the Balcombe Parish Council, a local government body. A recent survey conducted by the parish council found that more than 80 percent of the 284 respondents wanted the council to oppose fracking. |
| The protest was in keeping with the steady resistance that oil and gas companies, and the governments that approve their exploration, are facing as they try to tap underground rock deposits in populated areas to extract fossil fuels. The Balcombe site is limestone, but Cuadrilla and energy companies elsewhere are using similar drilling techniques in efforts to produce oil and natural gas from shale rock. | The protest was in keeping with the steady resistance that oil and gas companies, and the governments that approve their exploration, are facing as they try to tap underground rock deposits in populated areas to extract fossil fuels. The Balcombe site is limestone, but Cuadrilla and energy companies elsewhere are using similar drilling techniques in efforts to produce oil and natural gas from shale rock. |
| Although shale gas extraction has created an energy boom in the United States, many Europeans have been reluctant to accept the technology on concerns that it could contaminate groundwater and encourage continued reliance on carbon-emitting fossil fuels. | Although shale gas extraction has created an energy boom in the United States, many Europeans have been reluctant to accept the technology on concerns that it could contaminate groundwater and encourage continued reliance on carbon-emitting fossil fuels. |
| Balcombe, with about 1,800 residents, is no hotbed of radicalism. It is in the Conservative Party’s heartland, about a half-hour’s train ride south of London. It is represented in Parliament by Francis Maude, a cabinet minister. | Balcombe, with about 1,800 residents, is no hotbed of radicalism. It is in the Conservative Party’s heartland, about a half-hour’s train ride south of London. It is represented in Parliament by Francis Maude, a cabinet minister. |
| But residents say their opposition to fracking, the process of pumping large quantities of liquid, sand and other substances to release gas trapped inside rocks, is not being heard in official circles. | But residents say their opposition to fracking, the process of pumping large quantities of liquid, sand and other substances to release gas trapped inside rocks, is not being heard in official circles. |
| “This is naturally a very conservative, wealthy village,” said Lawrence Dunne, a physics professor who lives here. “But we feel the government is completely ignoring us.” | “This is naturally a very conservative, wealthy village,” said Lawrence Dunne, a physics professor who lives here. “But we feel the government is completely ignoring us.” |
| On this evening, Cuadrilla, the company that is spearheading shale gas development in Britain, was trying to listen. In a former church known as Bramble Hall, the company held a “drop-in session” for local residents. | On this evening, Cuadrilla, the company that is spearheading shale gas development in Britain, was trying to listen. In a former church known as Bramble Hall, the company held a “drop-in session” for local residents. |
| Several Cuadrilla executives accompanied by an entourage of public relations aides talked to small groups of residents, who were joined by environmental activists from London and the surrounding area. | Several Cuadrilla executives accompanied by an entourage of public relations aides talked to small groups of residents, who were joined by environmental activists from London and the surrounding area. |
| Francis Egan, Cuadrilla’s chief executive, called the gathering, which attracted more than 200 people and lasted more than four hours, “really, really valuable.” The encounter gave people “an opportunity to hear from us what we are doing” rather than what they “read on the Internet,” he said. | Francis Egan, Cuadrilla’s chief executive, called the gathering, which attracted more than 200 people and lasted more than four hours, “really, really valuable.” The encounter gave people “an opportunity to hear from us what we are doing” rather than what they “read on the Internet,” he said. |
| He and other European business leaders who advocate shale gas development are envious of the head start achieved by their American counterparts. But they know that on this side of the Atlantic, fears of pollution run so deep in the grass roots that local and national politicians are hesitant to endorse drilling. | He and other European business leaders who advocate shale gas development are envious of the head start achieved by their American counterparts. But they know that on this side of the Atlantic, fears of pollution run so deep in the grass roots that local and national politicians are hesitant to endorse drilling. |
| France has a ban on fracking, and Germany is unlikely to give it a green light until after the coming elections. The British government views shale gas as a possible replacement for the declining energy reserves in the North Sea, but those intentions have been slow to translate into action. It is unlikely that there will be any shale gas fracking in Britain this year. | France has a ban on fracking, and Germany is unlikely to give it a green light until after the coming elections. The British government views shale gas as a possible replacement for the declining energy reserves in the North Sea, but those intentions have been slow to translate into action. It is unlikely that there will be any shale gas fracking in Britain this year. |
| On Thursday, Balcombe was a microcosm of European concerns. Many minds seemed already set against the energy company — a result, some local people said, of heavy campaigning by opponents of fracking. | On Thursday, Balcombe was a microcosm of European concerns. Many minds seemed already set against the energy company — a result, some local people said, of heavy campaigning by opponents of fracking. |
| Eric Vaughan, Cuadrilla’s director of wells services, found himself peppered with questions about regulation by Katy Dunn and Emma Cooke, two young women who were dressed in black outfits and knitted yellow socks, who called themselves “the knitting nannas against gas.” | Eric Vaughan, Cuadrilla’s director of wells services, found himself peppered with questions about regulation by Katy Dunn and Emma Cooke, two young women who were dressed in black outfits and knitted yellow socks, who called themselves “the knitting nannas against gas.” |
| Worries cited by residents included fears that drilling activity would increase road traffic and harm the environment. They also suspect that the production of oil and gas, lucrative though it might be to Cuadrilla, would offer few benefits to Balcombe. | Worries cited by residents included fears that drilling activity would increase road traffic and harm the environment. They also suspect that the production of oil and gas, lucrative though it might be to Cuadrilla, would offer few benefits to Balcombe. |
| “I am concerned about the environmental impact on the air and our water supply,” said Louisa Delpy, who lives nearly a mile from the site. “I have two small children.” | “I am concerned about the environmental impact on the air and our water supply,” said Louisa Delpy, who lives nearly a mile from the site. “I have two small children.” |
| Ms. Delpy held a long private conversation with Mr. Egan to go over a list of concerns. But their talk left her “with more questions,” she said. “This was just the start.” | Ms. Delpy held a long private conversation with Mr. Egan to go over a list of concerns. But their talk left her “with more questions,” she said. “This was just the start.” |
| Not everyone was opposed to fracking. “If we’ve got natural resources, let’s use them,” said Derek Earl, a retired builder of mobile phone network towers. But he seemed to be in the minority. | Not everyone was opposed to fracking. “If we’ve got natural resources, let’s use them,” said Derek Earl, a retired builder of mobile phone network towers. But he seemed to be in the minority. |
| On the walls of Bramble Hall was a series of posters explaining the company’s plans. In the next few weeks, Cuadrilla plans to drill an exploratory well on a site called the Lower Stumble, where Conoco drilled a well in 1986 but then abandoned its efforts. | On the walls of Bramble Hall was a series of posters explaining the company’s plans. In the next few weeks, Cuadrilla plans to drill an exploratory well on a site called the Lower Stumble, where Conoco drilled a well in 1986 but then abandoned its efforts. |
| Cuadrilla wants to try again with modern methods including horizontal drilling and the use of hydrochloric acid to stimulate the well. Cuadrilla executives said they did not plan, at least initially, to “frack” this test well. | Cuadrilla wants to try again with modern methods including horizontal drilling and the use of hydrochloric acid to stimulate the well. Cuadrilla executives said they did not plan, at least initially, to “frack” this test well. |
| But Mr. Egan, who became Cuadrilla’s chief last year after the company had selected the Balcombe site, said that it might later decide to frack the well “if we decided it would make a difference to the flow rate.” | But Mr. Egan, who became Cuadrilla’s chief last year after the company had selected the Balcombe site, said that it might later decide to frack the well “if we decided it would make a difference to the flow rate.” |
| Mr. Egan said he was encouraged by the national government’s expressions of support for drilling. “There is a general recognition we should be getting on with the exploration phase,” he said. | Mr. Egan said he was encouraged by the national government’s expressions of support for drilling. “There is a general recognition we should be getting on with the exploration phase,” he said. |
| But not in Balcombe. “We will fight it,” Mr. Dunne, the physics professor, said. “We will carry on by any peaceful and legal means.” | But not in Balcombe. “We will fight it,” Mr. Dunne, the physics professor, said. “We will carry on by any peaceful and legal means.” |
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: June 1, 2013 | |
Because of an editing error, an | Because of an editing error, a headline and an article last Saturday about concerns that residents of Balcombe, England, have raised about an exploratory drilling well there, described incorrectly the type of well Cuadrilla Resources, a British energy company, plans to drill. It is an oil well, not a shale gas well — although the drilling techniques that may be employed are some of the same ones energy companies typically use to extract shale gas. |