Engineering news
The North Yorkshire County Council has granted Third Energy’s application to frack in Ryedale, which could see the first fracking in England for five years.
Over the past two days, the council heard submissions from 75 people before they made the decision to approve testing on deposits identified at Third Energy’s Kirby Misperton well in 2013.
The tests will look to establish if the gas seen in some samples in this hybrid sandstone shale formation can be made to flow, at what process conditions and for how long. If this flows the company will then need to assess how it performs for some months.
The decision corroborates the recommendation made by the planning officer, the approval of all environmental permits by the Environment Agency, and the fact that the well has already been approved by the local council, an independent well examiner and the Health and Safety Executive and subsequently drilled successfully without impact to the environment or the local community.
Rasik Valand, chief executive of Third Energy said: “This approval, is not as a victory, but is a huge responsibility. We will have to deliver on our commitment, made to the committee and to the people of Ryedale, to undertake this operation safely and without impacting on the local environment.
“However, don’t expect to see any activities on site in the near future. We have conditions from both the planning authority and the Environment Agency to discharge. There are other consents and notifications required prior to receiving final consent from the Secretary of State. Then there is the normal commercial and project management work, such as the letting of contracts and ordering of long lead items.”
The decision has been welcomed UKOOG, the onshore oil and gas industry body.
Ken Cronin, chief executive, said: “This decision helps to dispel many of the misleading claims that have been made about this application, as well as the process of hydraulic fracturing more generally. We look forward to Third Energy being able to conduct a test to see how much gas is under this area of North Yorkshire to power and heat homes and businesses.”
However, environmental groups have accused planning officers of dismissing "serious risks" associated with fracking in the area despite there being "clear evidence" it could harm wildlife, people's health and local businesses.
Daisy Sands, Greenpeace head of energy campaign, said: “Given the pro fracking bias from central government, there was an air of inevitability about this bitterly disappointing decision. It is striking that the overwhelming number of speakers giving evidence at the two day hearing were against fracking and Ryedale Parish Council voted against fracking at its back door but North Yorks Council has overlooked this and the many, many concerns that were raised locally.
"This isn’t over and people will continue to raise their very valid concerns and keep fighting against fracking because it will industrialise the beautiful Yorkshire countryside and contribute to climate change,” she added.