Government announce new measures to support fracking
They include more funding and a new regulator
A new package of measures to deliver on the government’s manifesto pledge to continue supporting the development of British shale gas has been announced.
Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government James Brokenshire say the government say they want to reiterate the potentially substantial benefits from the safe and sustainable exploration and development of our onshore shale gas resources.
In a statement they say: "We believe that gas has a key part to play in meeting these objectives both currently and in the future. In part as a result of the UK’s diverse range of energy sources, which include natural gas, we have had competitively-priced energy since 1990 whilst reducing carbon emissions across the economy by 49%.
"However, despite the welcome improvements in efficiency from companies operating in the North Sea, the ongoing decline in our offshore gas production has meant that the UK has gone from being a net exporter of gas in 2003 to importing over half of gas supplies in 2017.
"We believe that it is right to utilise our domestic gas resources to the maximum extent and exploring further the potential for onshore gas production from shale rock formations in the UK, where it is economically efficient, and where environment impacts are robustly regulated.
"We also believe that further development of onshore gas resources has the potential to deliver substantial economic benefits to the UK economy and for local communities where supplies are located by creating thousands of new jobs directly in extraction, local support services, and the rest of the supply chain."
The new measures announced include:
· Streamlining and improving the regulation process for shale extraction - to ensure developers and local authorities are supported. This will include setting up a Shale Environmental Regulator and new independent Planning Brokerage Service.
· Launching a new £1.6 million shale support fund over the next two years to build capacity.
· Holding a consultation on the principle of whether non-hydraulic fracturing shale exploration development should be treated as permitted development.
· Consulting on the criteria required to trigger the inclusion of shale production projects into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime.
Francis Egan, CEO of Cuadrilla Resources, said:
“We very much welcome the Government’s announcement today highlighting the national importance that shale gas development has in delivering a safe and secure energy source, whilst meeting the country’s Climate Change obligations.
"We are pleased it is also recognised, as we ourselves are proving in Lancashire, that shale gas can and does deliver important economic benefits. In the last two years our exploration operations are responsible for driving almost £9m into the Lancashire local economy and creating 60 local jobs.
“In particular we welcome the measures the Government has introduced on making the planning process “faster and fairer” and providing additional resources to help local authorities. Our planning permission to drill and test just four shale gas exploratory wells in Lancashire was granted after a lengthy and costly three year process. These timelines must improve if the country is to benefit from its own, much needed, indigenous source of gas.”
However, anti-fracking campaigners, including Greenpeace, say:
“After seven years of fracking doing less than nothing to help our economy, the government’s still going all out for shale, and still trampling over democracy to prop up this collapsing industry.
"Communities and their local councils across the UK have said no in every way they can, but the government have turned a deaf ear to everyone who doesn’t own fossil fuel company.
"In their commitment to extract more gas than we can afford to burn, they are trying to remove planning control from everyone who understands their local area and make exploratory drilling as easy as building a garden wall or conservatory.