to think people should be more concerned and better informed about this...

[frazzled1772]

It will effect tens of thousands of people in the uk. gasdrillinginbalcombe.wordpress.com/
It was mentioned on question time last night and clearly decision makers and others have no idea of the risks of this process.
Take a few moments to find out about it and form an opinion please.

bring it on. Just blow up the sodding useless wind farms which generate sweet FA and cost fortunes in money, destruction of land, wrecking views, chopping up birds and making people's lives hell.

If the water table does get contaminated it effects all the water in the region, it doesn't need to be flammable to be contaminated. There are reports of the water being contaminated and people getting ill - it wasn't obvious that it was contaminated.

I'm not at all happy at this fracking lark. It seems to be a patch up solution, and not thought through. I also hate, hate, windfarms. I want to know how good they really are, how long the poles last for, how much pollution they cause when they are manufacture, what will happen when they reach the end of their lives, and how much damage the offshore ones are doing to the sea environment they are trying to save. Just a thought

It feels like the beginning of a "rush" on fracking as an immediate solution to a range of problems. However the full cost of this rush, in terms of environmental and human health is not yet known.

Thanks Westie. It seems there are there are potentially 244 sites across Sussex/ Surrey - the Weald Basin, that maybe suitable for a well. That's significantly larger than the 23 at Caddo Pines - that worries me.

Larger than that 1 site yes, but I only gave you the figures for that 1 site. If you want the figures for the area as a whole, there are currently 20,245 oil wells and 12,961 gas wells.

Hi Westie, - how large an area are those wells spread over?

I am learning more and more by the day. It seems the greatest risks are from:

1. Accidents from water used in the fracking process - ie spillages and leakages - this fluid is highly toxic when it comes out - a small spillage can cause huge problems to local rivers/ forests/ farmlands etc.

1. Contamination of the drinking water through gas seeping into the water table - due to problems with well integrity or problems with pipe casing.

1. Wells being drilled in inappropriate places - ie close to rivers etc

Problems arise when wells are not built, checked and managed properly.

But these accidents do happen.

Cuadrilla state that they are looking to drill to about 1000m in Balcombe and then do a horizontal drill of about 800m however I also found this which says they will only be going to 304m www.naturalgaseurope.com/cuadrilla-balcombe-test-drilling - this is very shallow and a higher risk situation.

Also there have been leaks recently in Scotland
www.newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-news/7186-sepa-investigating-gas-leaks-from-fracking-company-wells

So whilst it is possible to reduce the risk of fracking - it is yet to be proven to be a safe process.

Also in terms of location of wells being significant in safeguarding the environment, the proposed Balcombe drilling site is 390 metres away from Ardingly Reservoir and the streams surrounding the site feed into the river Ouse - how much of a spillage of fracked water would it take to contaminate these?
The link shows the location of the proposed site and the reservoir
maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=lower+stumble+balcombe&ie=UTF-8&ei=9ya2UZyyLsO50QXgwYHYAQ&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAg

I have to say - you'd have to be cerebrally challenged to not think fracking would have adverse effects on the environment. Even if for the reason it is done predominantly in ex mining areas, mined areas, large holes, caverns, tunnels, under towns in a lot of instances. Setting off explosions - well, I'm not a rocket scientist but even I can see the potential for damage

Apparently the some machinery has arrived today, they are awaiting permission to being exploratory drilling in Balcombe.

HollyBerry - I don't think the risks are just present in ex-mining areas. The process results in the production of 1000s of gallons of highly toxic fluid (fracked water) which has to be safely transported from the site and stored somewhere. This water has is full of a range of chemicals and it is mildy radioactive. This waste will be stored on fracking sites and transported and stored somewhere.

Westie - it is clear that the Caddo Pines oilfield shows a very different experience to that of Pennsylvania but I did find this www.propublica.org/article/louisiana-well-blowout-forces-hundreds-from-homes
and this
www.propublica.org/article/16-cattle-drop-dead-near-mysterious-fluid-at-gas-drilling-site-430

There are also problems with oil. Spills and the like.

Windfarms are unpopular due to ugliness.

Solar is also not popular when done on an industrial scale.

Biomass releases CO2 and has it's critics.

As does nuclear.

Basically, we should stop all forms of power generation to avoid people being upset. Where should we get our power from?

I am aware that there are problems with all forms of energy. It's not about being "upset" it's about having the air we breathe and the water we drink contaminated. I'm not against fracking if it is proven to be safe, however, I don't think it has been yet.

If the water in the water table gets contaminated it's not just going to effect the tap water in Balcombe, or wherever the fracking is taking place - it's water for tens of thousands of people who get their water supplies from the area. And it's not flammabe water that's the problem it's carcinogens and other dangerous chemicals that people may unknowingly consume.

Nuclear energy - the problem there was largely related to how to dispose of the waste - this problem is repeating itself with fracking. There is gallons of highly toxic, radioactive waste produced through fracking and it is not clear ( to me anyway) how this will be disposed of.

My opinion fwiw is whilst society are happy to consume so much and not be prepared to put on a jumper in winter we will continue to seek new ways of generating power.
at people thinking their bills will be lower. Who do you think is going to pay for the company to recoup the costs of research and development, advertising/ informing the public, etc.

Morethan - it is assumed that Shale Gas will have the same impact here as it has in the US however, that is not necessarily the case - and at what cost? We are trusting the government to act in our interests however IMO they're obviously not.
Am just of to search renewable energy...

frazzled.

I can't pretend to be better than anyone else as I now have gas after many years of min use of electric. What I did find strange was my mil giving me all her jumpers one year. We were skint and lived in the country and used a wood burner for heat/water and aga for cooking.
I found it bizarre back then that she wouldn't need a jumper at all. People just pump up the volume without thinking.
I was unaware of the issues, and would like to thank you for bringing it to my attention. Not sure if there will be enough voices to oppose and will certainly look into this more.
I find it astounding that people trust the government with so many things that affect our life, without realising they only tell us what they feel we need to know.
Many thanks Frazzled

Thanks for your support more than. I am sad to say that energy consumption was not top priority for me until now. If nothing else fracking is waking me up to a reality that I have avoided for a long time.

The trouble with these arguments is that each side spins the info to suit their argument and it is hard to know what to believe.

We did have an earthquake (well, a little tremor) on the Fylde coast though when Cuadrilla were test drilling.

Hi timidviper,
I am finding it very hard to find out the truth too. There are certainly horror stories out there about fracking. At the moment there is enough doubt in my mind about the process to not want it to take place in the uk, until more is known about it. Horizontal fracking is relatively new.

In some countries they have a moratorium on fracking until further scientific research has been done. At the moment timid you and I are part an experiential learning process. If our water and air gets contaminated and you or I get ill, or our children suffer with health problems etc then we become part of the stream of anecdotal evidence that can be dismissed as scaremongering. And the process carries on doing more damage.

frazzled1772

In some countries they have a moratorium on fracking until further scientific research has been done. At the moment timid you and I are part an experiential learning process. If our water and air gets contaminated and you or I get ill, or our children suffer with health problems etc then we become part of the stream of anecdotal evidence that can be dismissed as scaremongering. And the process carries on doing more damage.

There's no magic device that creates energy without consequences. You've got a simple choice. You can freeze and starve, or you can tolerate some pollution.

Energy prices have already doubled in 10 years. Most of the reason for that is the EU's renewables directive which has created an artificial tax on efficient forms of power generation such as coal and gas, and forces taxpayers to pay to subsidise wind farms. Energy prices are predicted to double again by 2020. A fourfold rise in 18 years. It'll mean the elderly can't keep the heating on in winter, and many more of them will die.

I'm a big fan of nuclear, but we're suffering the consequences of decades of KGB-funded propaganda from groups like CND so people are afraid of it.

I was a big fan of nuclear too flatpack. Then I watched and now I don't know what to think. It'a a total mind melt.

Hi Flatpack - I can tolerate some pollution, but I would still like to know that the water coming out of my taps is safe to drink and wash in. It's a basic need - clean water. People in the USA and Australia have been drinking contaminated water without knowing it. The impact of fracking could be immediate and direct. I say "could" be because it is not certain how risky the process is.
Westie - will try your link after I've made dinner!

Westie .