To be really concerned that it looks like fracking is going ahead in West Sussex

[frazzled1772]

I have been learning more about fracking (due to Cuadrilla proposing to frack just up the road from me). It seems that there are so many risks attached and the impact of fracking is not fully understood yet. The impact of fracking is far greater than being just on one small Sussex village. The whole area will potentially be transformed by numerous wells and drilling pads. The proposed site is close to Ardingly Reservoir - which provides drinking water for thousands of people in the area and is surrounded by streams which feed the River Ouse. There are many reports of fracking contaminating water supplies - rendering tap water undrinkable and harming wildlife and farmland. But it looks like the government thinks it's ok! I need to know that my water will be safe and not full of radioactive waste, heavy metals or methane and I am not convinced that Cuadrilla or the government can say that they 100% sure that it will be yet it looks like they may get the go ahead - surely that can't be right?

[Snoopytwist]

What the frack?

[specialsubject]

it is still under research, but where do you think the radioactive waste and heavy metals are going to come from?

trouble is, we all like to use lots of energy and it has to come from somewhere. On shore wind farms are useless, we are stupid enough to follow the EU directive to shut down coal stations and the ill-informed green lobby doesn't want nuclear power. (The Germans shut down their plants because of the Fukushima disaster - Germany is of course nowhere near a fault line and now they haven't got enough generating capacity).

addressing these stupidities would make much more sense. But attract fewer subsidies...

[Sallyingforth]

Everything that specialsubject said. The whole subject in a few sentences.

Without energy we'll be going back to the stone age.

[flatpackhamster]

It sounds like you've been reading some more blogs.

Why don't you write to the company and ask their point of view? At least that way you'd get some scientific information instead of "OMGLOLWTFRADIATIONINMYWATERZ".

[frazzled1772]

Snoopytwist fracking is drilling both vertically (to around 1000m ish) and then horizontally. You then make little explosions to create fractures either side of the drill hole and these release gases. Theypump in water mixed with chemicals and sand to keep the fractures open and release the gas. The water (1000s of gallons of it) is then washed back up and stored somewhere (it becomes industrials waste)

Special subject the radioactive waste is in the returned water. It is referred to as "NORMS" - "naturally occurring radioactive material. It is underground in it's natural states however through the fracking process it is brought to the surface. My understanding is that it is a low level of radiactivity however it does render the water undrinkable. One of the greatest risks of fracking is the water spillage of the returned water - water finds water, so any spilled on the site would naturally make its ways to the streams and rivers nearby. I think the metals come from either the chemicals used to make the water more "slick" - so that he can be pumped effectively and maintain pressure when it's pumped hundreds of metres through the drill holes. Or it comes from deposits in the rocks underground, or the drilling mud (a product used to make the drill work properly).

SpecialSubject - they are still researching it and there are some criteria to making fracking as safe as it can be, but modern fracking is still a relatively new process and it's impact is not yet fully known. I don't actually want to be part of some "action research". There is almost a kind of "suck it and see" sort of approach.

Sallyingforth - we do need energy, but at what cost - do you know the impact fracking has had in communities in the US, Australia?

[Sunnywithshowers]

I'm sad to hear that.

[frazzled1772]

Hi flat pack again!

I'm reading lots and writing to the British Geological Society, the Environmental Agency, The County Council and DECC - aiming to find out more and get some answers regarding risk assessments to the site and the progress of planning permission. There's a lot of standard replies coming back.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

There's some great videos on YouTube of people setting fire to their kitchen taps after fracking in their area.

YANBU. Fracking is a pretty filthy way to get energy. In the 21st century there are far more environmentally sound ways to generate energy.

The green lobby is against nuclear for good reason, no one has really figured out what to do with the waste and decommissioning is ridiculously expensive.

[frazzled1772]

Sunnywith - it is really sad. The whole area could be changed completely. And the risk of polluting groundwater is very frightening.

[frazzled1772]

Lunaticfringe - no not every week. Just today. Thanks for your considered opinion though. I will bear it in mind.

[Eyesunderarock]

By Jingo, you're right.

Fracking is very controversial, there have been a number of protests and legal judgements made over this particular episode.
Interesting that it's being done in Conservative heartland too, usually they don't like to piss off the voters quite so blatantly..

[frazzled1772]

Lunatic - you don't actually have to join in a thread if you don't want to. What's your point?

[Sallyingforth]

ALL forms of energy production are polluting and controversial by nature. Hydrocarbons - coal, oil, gas - produce CO2. Nuclear leaves waste. Wind turbines are inefficient and require hundreds of tons of concrete in their foundations. Concrete production is the most polluting industry of all.
Fracking is a potential energy source and must at least be evaluated. Yes there have been horror stories from the US, but I personally don't believe any videos I see on Youtube. A carefully controlled test in the UK seems sensible to me.
Our energy production in the UK is going down. We have dangerously little reserve and are dependent on Russian gas to keep our lights on. I don't want the lights to go out - do you?

[MorganMummy]

Not in my backyard! I wish they could harness all the heated smugness that exists round here and use that to warm us through the winter.

[flatpackhamster]

frazzled1772 Thu 13-Jun-13 13:36:38

Hi flat pack again!

I'm reading lots and writing to the British Geological Society, the Environmental Agency, The County Council and DECC - aiming to find out more and get some answers regarding risk assessments to the site and the progress of planning permission. There's a lot of standard replies coming back.

But you don't appear to have contacted either the drilling company or the people that own the drilling rights. Wouldn't it be sensible to do that?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine

There's some great videos on YouTube of people setting fire to their kitchen taps after fracking in their area.

They were able to do that before fracking in their area. It's because their drinking water comes from springs which are high in methane which leaches out of the rocks.

YANBU. Fracking is a pretty filthy way to get energy. In the 21st century there are far more environmentally sound ways to generate energy.

I notice you didn't use the world 'cheap'.

The green lobby is against nuclear for good reason, no one has really figured out what to do with the waste and decommissioning is ridiculously expensive.

Arguments which can be reversed and applied to windmills, of course. Nobody ever explains how acid leaching to obtain rare earths is 'green' whereas nuclear power isn't. Nor does anyone ever talk about the quadrupling in the price of energy which is a consequence of massive taxpayer subsidies to the ecomentalist industry.

[KittensoftPuppydog]

So you really think you'd get unbiased info from the drilling company???? Come on... Really?

[KittensoftPuppydog]

Link to a report from greenpeace summing up the research
www.greenpeace.org.uk/sites/files/gpuk/Greenpeace%20shale%20gas%20briefing_1.pdf

[Sallyingforth]

So you really think you'd get unbiased info from the drilling company
Of course not.
Neither will you get unbiased info from Greenpeace. They equally have their own agenda.
We have to look at all alternatives for energy and choose the least harmful, affordable ones.

[WestieMamma]

Mocking the idea of requesting information from the drilling company because you think it'll be biased and then putting forward Greenpeace as a source of information. That's so funny. :o

[flatpackhamster]

KittensoftPuppydog

So you really think you'd get unbiased info from the drilling company???? Come on... Really?

Perhaps we should only get one point of view then, to ensure that we stay properly unbiased.

[TheFallenNinja]

Goody. More doom mongering.

[KittensoftPuppydog]

The greenpeace briefing has points of view from across the spectrum. Its a briefing doc. That's what they do. You can also read other articles, or the articles behind this briefing doc.
The one place I wouldn't bother to go for information is a company that has a vested interest in it going ahead.