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Gas firm Cluff accused of 'holding Scotland to ransom' Gas firm Cluff accused of 'holding Scotland to ransom'
(about 7 hours later)
The company behind plans to use coal seams beneath the Forth to produce gas has been accused of "attempting to hold Scotland to ransom". Environmentalists have accused the firm behind plans to use coal seams beneath the Forth to produce gas of "attempting to hold Scotland to ransom".
It follows the publication of letters between the boss of Cluff Natural Resources and Scottish ministers.It follows the publication of letters between the boss of Cluff Natural Resources and Scottish ministers.
The day after a ban on unconventional oil and gas was announced, Algy Cluff warned his firm's plans to invest more than £250m were at risk. They show that the day after a ban on unconventional oil and gas was announced, Cluff warned that plans to invest more than £250m were at risk.
No-one at Cluff Natural Resources was available for comment. WWF Scotland said plans to burn coal under the sea should be a non-starter.
Mr Cluff wanted assurances the ban would not apply to a technique known as underground coal gasification (UCG). No-one at Cluff Natural Resources was available for comment on the letters.
Environmental campaigners have accused the company of attempting to hold Scotland to ransom. In the communications from January this year, Algy Cluff, the company's founder, said he wanted assurances from ministers that the ban on unconventional oil and gas - often referred to as fracking - would not apply to underground coal gasification (UCG).
'Does not apply' The UCG process attempt to reach reserves of coal which are inaccessible to mine, in this case under the waters of the Forth estuary.
They have now renewed their demand for ministers to extend their moratorium to include UCG. It involves chemically converting the coal from a solid state into gas by pumping oxygen and steam through a small borehole into the coal seam.
Environmental campaigners have said UCG should be included in the fracking moratorium.
Mr Cluff's letter has been released following a freedom of information request from anti-fracking campaigners.Mr Cluff's letter has been released following a freedom of information request from anti-fracking campaigners.
It has been published by The Ferret, an investigative journalism website, along with the reply sent by Alex Neil MSP, the Cabinet secretary responsible for planning.It has been published by The Ferret, an investigative journalism website, along with the reply sent by Alex Neil MSP, the Cabinet secretary responsible for planning.
In his response, Mr Neil gave Mr Cluff an assurance the moratorium was "specifically about the onshore exploration, appraisal, and production of coal bed methane and shale oil and gas."In his response, Mr Neil gave Mr Cluff an assurance the moratorium was "specifically about the onshore exploration, appraisal, and production of coal bed methane and shale oil and gas."
He added: "The moratorium does not apply to the offshore underground gasification of coal."He added: "The moratorium does not apply to the offshore underground gasification of coal."
Powers to licence onshore unconventional oil and gas developments are being devolved to the Scottish government. But UCG licences will continue to be issued by the Coal Authority.Powers to licence onshore unconventional oil and gas developments are being devolved to the Scottish government. But UCG licences will continue to be issued by the Coal Authority.
A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "The development of new energy technologies, such as underground coal gasification, must be consistent with our environmental objectives and we will continue to take a careful, evidence-based approach to such developments."A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "The development of new energy technologies, such as underground coal gasification, must be consistent with our environmental objectives and we will continue to take a careful, evidence-based approach to such developments."
'More problematic''More problematic'
Meanwhile, the SNP MP for Edinburgh East, Tommy Sheppard, has described UCG as "more problematic" than fracking because of the "threat of underground explosions and geological trauma".Meanwhile, the SNP MP for Edinburgh East, Tommy Sheppard, has described UCG as "more problematic" than fracking because of the "threat of underground explosions and geological trauma".
Mr Sheppard also suggested the Scottish government's moratorium could be applied to UCG.Mr Sheppard also suggested the Scottish government's moratorium could be applied to UCG.
He told BBC Scotland: "If you are going to drill shafts onshore, before going offshore, you are going to need planning permission for that and, in my mind, that would most definitely be unconventional gas extraction and it would be covered by the moratorium.He told BBC Scotland: "If you are going to drill shafts onshore, before going offshore, you are going to need planning permission for that and, in my mind, that would most definitely be unconventional gas extraction and it would be covered by the moratorium.
"There's a big debate going on within the SNP, as there is within wider Scottish society, about whether or not these new technologies have a role to play, whether the benefits outweigh the risks, and that debate is going on in great detail within my local community and within my party."There's a big debate going on within the SNP, as there is within wider Scottish society, about whether or not these new technologies have a role to play, whether the benefits outweigh the risks, and that debate is going on in great detail within my local community and within my party.
"I have pretty much made up my mind on this and I am on one side of that debate and that's purely because of the evidence I have been shown over the last 18 months.""I have pretty much made up my mind on this and I am on one side of that debate and that's purely because of the evidence I have been shown over the last 18 months."
'Worst case''Worst case'
Environmentalists insist the time has come for the Scottish government to rule out UCG.Environmentalists insist the time has come for the Scottish government to rule out UCG.
They argue it already has the power to do so under the existing planning laws governing related developments onshore.They argue it already has the power to do so under the existing planning laws governing related developments onshore.
Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: "No company should ever be allowed to hold Scottish ministers or Scotland's environment to ransom like this.Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: "No company should ever be allowed to hold Scottish ministers or Scotland's environment to ransom like this.
"This latest revelation again highlights why plans to burn coal under the sea should be a non-starter, and why the Scottish government must extend its moratorium on unconventional gas extraction to include underground coal gasification."This latest revelation again highlights why plans to burn coal under the sea should be a non-starter, and why the Scottish government must extend its moratorium on unconventional gas extraction to include underground coal gasification.
"The science is clear, to protect our climate the vast majority of fossil fuel reserves must remain unburned. In a worst case scenario, proposals such as these could even extend our use of fossil fuels, locking us into a high-carbon world.""The science is clear, to protect our climate the vast majority of fossil fuel reserves must remain unburned. In a worst case scenario, proposals such as these could even extend our use of fossil fuels, locking us into a high-carbon world."
No-one from Cluff Natural Resources was available for comment.No-one from Cluff Natural Resources was available for comment.