Scientists Unveil Plans for New Fylde Fracking Monitor

Gas extraction on the Fylde will be as safe and eco-friendly as possible, with scientists from the British Geological Survey confirming that if permission is granted an independent fracking monitor will be installed to monitor pollution and seismic activity.

Lancashire set to give go-ahead on dual fracking sites

The announcement comes in the wake of rumours that the Lancashire County Council is in the process of granting Fylde planning permission to major energy company Cuadrilla. The agreement would see Cuadrilla begin to frack at two key sites located near Roaseacre and Little Plumpton.

If the project goes ahead Fylde will house the UK’s first independent fracking monitor. As well as using gathered data for in-house scientific purposes the British Geological Survey also maintains that all results will be published and accessible to members of the public. 

While the monitor encompasses the entire Fylde region scientists will pay special attention to results that have been gathered in areas with confirmed traces of shale gas resources. The data will be used to establish important ‘baseline’ information that can be used to comprehend other readings. Thanks to round the clock monitoring capabilities the scientific community will be able to access real time data spanning for the entire life cycle of a shale gas project. This insight into the presence of pollution and seismic activity prior to, during and after hydraulic fracturing will provide scientists with valuable information relating to public and environmental health. True to its ‘independent’ tag, results gathered by the fracking monitor will be entirely separate from data collected from Cuadrilla and the Environment Agency.

Prof John Ludden, executive director of the BGS explains, “This ground breaking research will provide new scientific insight and innovative ways of monitoring the environment impact of shale gas development.”

The sophisticated technology will be analysed by environmental experts across the UK, with partners in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol and Loughborough universities. Scientists will be able to use the information to analyse a range of matter, including regional air quality, seismic activity, groundwater and ground movements.

A clash of opinions

While the watchful eye of the British Geological Survey could cause problems for Cuadrilla the company maintains that it is 100% behind the roll out of the independent fracking monitor. “We welcome the BGS’s announcement regarding its planned independent environmental monitoring of shale gas exploration and are pleased to give them access to our proposed sites,” says a Cuadrilla spokesman. “While we will of course continue with our own monitoring which is required by law, this extra level of transparency that the BGS data and assessment will provide gives further reassurance.”

The project has received widespread industry praise however not everyone is impressed. Mike Hill, a Lytham based oil and gas engineer maintains that the monitor is not sophisticated or thorough enough to provide scientists with useful data.  “I wrote briefing note on monitoring and this below goes nowhere near what is required as it leaves out abandonment. That’s already a crucial factor as PH-1 about to be abandoned. Princeton just released a study on such wells. They found every single one to be leaking,” explains Hill.

Whatever you can do…

Recently, Karnes County and the surrounding districts welcomed exciting news that an air monitor has been installed in the heart of the Eagle Ford Shale formation, where fracking is popular. Installation was fast-tracked by encouragement from local officials and government representatives, investigative reports and residents who were concerned about the quality of the air they inhale on a daily basis. If you’re not familiar with the environmental concerns surrounding fracking, you might enjoy reading Protecting Employee Health During Fracking or the Dangers of Fracking.