Could fracking soon take place in Somerset?

In September 2015 the Government issued eight Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDLs) in Somerset, all of which are held by a company called South Western Energy Ltd.

South Western Energy Ltd holds licences from Weston-super-Mare down through Burnham and Highbridge, north of Bridgwater, across Kilve and Watchet and even stretching on to the fringes of Exmoor National Park.

PEDLs give licence holders exclusive rights to pursue proposals for oil and gas within the licensed areas, but currently the licence holder is required to follow the existing planning and regulatory processes, including applying for planning permission; applying for relevant environment permits; and gaining consent to drill from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA). The licensee’s proposals are also subject to scrutiny by the Health and Safety Executive.

EXPLORATION: A map of the local area covered by PEDL licences

However, this could be about to change following a recently-closed Government consultation, the results of which will be published in the coming months.

The proposals within the consultation have caused controversy as the Government wants exploratory drilling for shale gas to be considered as ‘permitted development’.

Permitted development is part of planning law that allows people to carry out improvements on their property, such as loft conversions or putting up a garden shed.

If the move goes through, it will mean oil and gas companies would not need to apply to local councils to construct an exploratory fracking well pad.

Kevin Ogilvie-White, founder of Frack Free EQS (Exmoor, Quantocks and Sedgemoor), describes the move as a ‘serious assault on our democracy’ and has successfully been asking local councils to respond to the consultation by opposing the government’s plans and ensure local people and authorities have a say if fracking takes place in their area

“Regardless of how you feel about fracking, whether you are for or against it, local people and their elected representatives should be the ones who decide if it takes place,” Mr Ogilvie-White said.

“On shore oil and gas developments need a ‘social license’ to operate and I believe the Government is pushing this through because they are getting applications going in which are being refused and delayed by local authorities across the country and they are determined to have a fracking industry in the UK.”

EXAMPLE: How full scale industrial fracking might look

There are three separate phases, all of which currently need to go through the local planning system in addition to obtaining different permissions: exploration, appraisal and production

The Government ran a separate consultation which proposes to bring fracking under the umbrella of a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, which means like HS2 or a motorway, planning applications for full-scale production fracking would be decided by a Government-appointed planning inspector rather than the local authority.

Governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all said they will oppose fracking until further research is completed into its environmental impact.

Those in favour of fracking say it allows drilling firms to access hard-to-reach resources of oil and gas.

In the US, it has increased domestic oil production and seen gas prices get cheaper.

But, despite this, the industry as a whole has been unable to turn a profit and some financial analysts fear the ‘oil bubble will burst’.

It is thought to have offered gas security to the US and Canada for about 100 years and has presented an opportunity to generate electricity at half the CO2 emissions of coal.

The industry suggests fracking of shale gas could contribute significantly to the UK’s future energy needs, and create thousands of jobs.

However, those against fracking say it has serious negative public health and environmental impacts.

Mr Ogilvie-White says one of his biggest concerns is the loss of ‘well integrity’ which can lead to fracking chemicals and naturally occurring contaminants migrating into higher aquifers and impact groundwater.

“There is research which shows 20 per cent of these wells are likely to fail within 15 to 20 years,” Mr Ogilvie-White says.

“For fracking to be ‘commercially viable’ in England it is estimated at least 6,000 wells need to be drilled. It won’t be long before we are paying more for our fresh water than the gas the government wants us to use to heat our homes for the next 50 years.”

Mr Ogilvie-White, who lives on the Quantock Hills near Bicknoller, says he initially started his research with an element of Nimbyism as the water in his home is spring-fed, but his research led him to have grave concerns for future generations if fracking is allowed to go ahead.

Since starting his campaign, Mr Ogilvie-White has received support from many town and parish councils.

“In order to resist this industry we need to have a strong local opposition who are organised and knowledgeable,” Mr Ogilvie-White says.