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| Cuadrilla announces two new Lancashire fracking sites | Cuadrilla announces two new Lancashire fracking sites |
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| Shale gas exploration company Cuadrilla has said it will apply to drill and frack a total of eight wells at two new sites in Lancashire. | Shale gas exploration company Cuadrilla has said it will apply to drill and frack a total of eight wells at two new sites in Lancashire. |
| The company already has three sites in the north-west – including the only site, near Blackpool, where modern hydraulic fracturing techniques have been used in the UK to date. Cuadrilla is not currently fracking at any of these sites, however, owing to a series of setbacks including small earth tremors caused by the drilling, and concerns over migrating birds. | The company already has three sites in the north-west – including the only site, near Blackpool, where modern hydraulic fracturing techniques have been used in the UK to date. Cuadrilla is not currently fracking at any of these sites, however, owing to a series of setbacks including small earth tremors caused by the drilling, and concerns over migrating birds. |
| Planning permission will be needed to drill and frack at the proposed sites of Roseacre Wood and Preston New Road, both close to the company's existing operations. Four fracking wells could be drilled at each site, according to a statement from Cuadrilla on Tuesday. | Planning permission will be needed to drill and frack at the proposed sites of Roseacre Wood and Preston New Road, both close to the company's existing operations. Four fracking wells could be drilled at each site, according to a statement from Cuadrilla on Tuesday. |
| For each well, the local community will receive £100,000 from the company, meaning that up to £800,000 may ultimately be handed out at the sites. | For each well, the local community will receive £100,000 from the company, meaning that up to £800,000 may ultimately be handed out at the sites. |
| Of the company's existing Lancashire sites, two – at Preese Hall and Anna's Road – will be "turned back", with no further activity expected. One at Grange Hill will not be used for fracking but will be turned into a seismic monitoring centre. A further possible site at Beckinsall is under review. | Of the company's existing Lancashire sites, two – at Preese Hall and Anna's Road – will be "turned back", with no further activity expected. One at Grange Hill will not be used for fracking but will be turned into a seismic monitoring centre. A further possible site at Beckinsall is under review. |
| The company said separate applications will also be made to install seismic monitoring equipment, in accordance with government guidance that was brought in after the earth tremors that were found to be caused by the company's drilling. | The company said separate applications will also be made to install seismic monitoring equipment, in accordance with government guidance that was brought in after the earth tremors that were found to be caused by the company's drilling. |
| Cuadrilla said it had already begun contacting residents and community representatives near the new sites and will carry out a broad public consultation. An environmental assessment for each site will be conducted by the consultancy Arup. | Cuadrilla said it had already begun contacting residents and community representatives near the new sites and will carry out a broad public consultation. An environmental assessment for each site will be conducted by the consultancy Arup. |
| Francis Egan, Cuadrilla's chief executive, said: "We've been working hard to assess our site options and have undertaken extensive technical and geological analysis. As a result of this work, we have decided to focus on just two sites at this time. This will allow us to reduce the potential impact on the local area during exploration while still gathering the important information we need to determine how much gas could be recovered. We're committed to being a good neighbour and to talking with the community at every stage of the process." | Francis Egan, Cuadrilla's chief executive, said: "We've been working hard to assess our site options and have undertaken extensive technical and geological analysis. As a result of this work, we have decided to focus on just two sites at this time. This will allow us to reduce the potential impact on the local area during exploration while still gathering the important information we need to determine how much gas could be recovered. We're committed to being a good neighbour and to talking with the community at every stage of the process." |
| Each well is likely to cost up to £10m to explore. Egan told the Guardian that each site would cover about two hectares. But the horizontal fracking wells will extend further underground than these footprints, and Egan said permission would be sought from neighbouring landowners before this was done. | |
| An application for planning permission will be submitted this summer. If successful, drilling could begin next year. Cuadrilla will not be seeking any more sites in Lancashire for the foreseeable future, concentrating instead on the two new sites. | |
| Egan acknowledged that some opposition was likely but said he hoped that local people would be reassured that the exploration was safe and not disruptive. "Some people are opposed because they don't want to see any new fossil fuels in the UK," he added. "I guess we are going to have to disagree on that." | |
| Ken Cronin, chief executive of trade body, the UK Onshore Operators Group, told the Guardian: "The announcement by Cuadrilla today is excellent news for the industry and the next step towards providing indigenous sources of gas for the country. It's a precursor to providing economic and environmental benefits [for the UK]." | Ken Cronin, chief executive of trade body, the UK Onshore Operators Group, told the Guardian: "The announcement by Cuadrilla today is excellent news for the industry and the next step towards providing indigenous sources of gas for the country. It's a precursor to providing economic and environmental benefits [for the UK]." |
| "We need more exploration," said Marcus Pepperell, spokesman for Shale Gas Europe, an industry body. "Until we know how much is actually commercially viable, most conversations about the impact shale gas will have on the UK energy mix – and the rest of Europe – will remain speculative." | |
| But anti-fracking campaigners said the company would face protests. Friends of the Earth's north-west campaigner, Helen Rimmer, said: "These plans will be met by stiff opposition from local people rightly concerned about having the UK's first attempted multiple-well fracking operation under their feet. Cuadrilla claims to be a good neighbour, but it still hasn't cleared up the mess from the botched fracking operation that caused earth tremors only a few miles from one of the proposed sites." | But anti-fracking campaigners said the company would face protests. Friends of the Earth's north-west campaigner, Helen Rimmer, said: "These plans will be met by stiff opposition from local people rightly concerned about having the UK's first attempted multiple-well fracking operation under their feet. Cuadrilla claims to be a good neighbour, but it still hasn't cleared up the mess from the botched fracking operation that caused earth tremors only a few miles from one of the proposed sites." |
| Cuadrilla faced protests last summer at its site in Balcombe, West Sussex, where it drilled for oil. Thousands of people marched on the site at the height of the activity. The company announced last month it would not be fracking at that site, though it would continue to drill. | Cuadrilla faced protests last summer at its site in Balcombe, West Sussex, where it drilled for oil. Thousands of people marched on the site at the height of the activity. The company announced last month it would not be fracking at that site, though it would continue to drill. |
| Other fracking protests in the north-west have seen several arrests. | Other fracking protests in the north-west have seen several arrests. |
| These protests are in stark contrast to Cuadrilla's opening of operations in the north-west in 2010, which took place amid little fanfare. Some local residents, spoken to by the Guardian in 2011 after the earth tremor, were unhappy that they had not been fully consulted at the time. But apart from a few printed signs attached to trees there were no visible signs of opposition, and no widespread protests. | These protests are in stark contrast to Cuadrilla's opening of operations in the north-west in 2010, which took place amid little fanfare. Some local residents, spoken to by the Guardian in 2011 after the earth tremor, were unhappy that they had not been fully consulted at the time. But apart from a few printed signs attached to trees there were no visible signs of opposition, and no widespread protests. |
| Since then, much more attention has been focused on fracking and many people are concerned that it could lead to the industrialisation of the countryside, water or air pollution, and the release of greenhouse gases that add to climate change. | Since then, much more attention has been focused on fracking and many people are concerned that it could lead to the industrialisation of the countryside, water or air pollution, and the release of greenhouse gases that add to climate change. |
| Cuadrilla is likely to have to drill many more wells. Last week, the company's chairman Lord Browne told the Guardian it could take five years and 20 to 40 wells before it was known whether the UK could have a viable fracking industry. | Cuadrilla is likely to have to drill many more wells. Last week, the company's chairman Lord Browne told the Guardian it could take five years and 20 to 40 wells before it was known whether the UK could have a viable fracking industry. |
| Rimmer added that opposition this time to Cuadrilla would be more organised: "Despite David Cameron's gung-ho approach, opposition to shale gas is rising – and will grow further as more communities are faced with the fracking threat. Fracking isn't the answer to our energy problems. Experts say it will do little to tackle climate change – and even Cuadrilla has said it won't cut energy bills. Lancashire can be at the heart of the UK's energy future, but it must be based on energy efficiency and renewable power, not more dirty fossil fuels." | Rimmer added that opposition this time to Cuadrilla would be more organised: "Despite David Cameron's gung-ho approach, opposition to shale gas is rising – and will grow further as more communities are faced with the fracking threat. Fracking isn't the answer to our energy problems. Experts say it will do little to tackle climate change – and even Cuadrilla has said it won't cut energy bills. Lancashire can be at the heart of the UK's energy future, but it must be based on energy efficiency and renewable power, not more dirty fossil fuels." |
| Polling for the government, published on Tuesday, indicates that 27% of the British public are in favour of shale gas extraction, with 21% against and most people not having a view either way. It was the first time the Department of Energy and Climate Change has asked the question in its ongoing public attitudes tracker, and follows separate polling by YouGov and the University of Nottingham which last week revealed public support for shale gas had fallen for the second time since the Balcombe protests. | Polling for the government, published on Tuesday, indicates that 27% of the British public are in favour of shale gas extraction, with 21% against and most people not having a view either way. It was the first time the Department of Energy and Climate Change has asked the question in its ongoing public attitudes tracker, and follows separate polling by YouGov and the University of Nottingham which last week revealed public support for shale gas had fallen for the second time since the Balcombe protests. |