To Frack or Not To Frack - That is the question

Shale on the other hand , is a sedimentary rock, consisting of mainly mud, compacted in layers , millions of years ago.

Which contained dead vegetation that decomposed and produced methane, just as happened in coal.
 
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Just watched the One Show in which there was a reporter asking questions of some Science guy and some of the protestors. The science guy was very honest about the fracking in the US and the consequences. Most of the anti arguments seem to be without substance. One clip showed a guy in the US lighting gas coming out of his water tap and who purported that Fracking was the cause of the gas. Subsequent investigations showed that the gas was from coal deposits and nothing to do with the Fracking being undertaken in the area. Also Scientific studies show that Fracking extraction of gas is far less environmentally damaging than Coal mining both atmospheric and surface damage and also nuclear radiation is far less than in coal mining. Earth quake problems are minute in that it does happen but so far below ground that its manifestation on the surface is almost unnoticeable. Apparently there are identified Gas deposits in the North of the UK is such that if we manage to get 10% recovery, there is enough gas to supply the UK for 51 years. Sounds a good idea to Frack to me.
The reporter then gave a protester a platform to put his views forward. All the protester could come up with was to ask the question of what the reporter knew of fracking, to which he replied "nothing but I am only here to ask questions and report and give the protector a platform to convince the public fracking was wrong". The protestor demonstrated his total lack of knowledge of what he was protesting about.
So Score to date = Fracking 6 - Anti Fracking A big Nil.
I know a little bit more about fracking now than I did this morning

Taught me F.A.
 
Watching the news recently, it seems the protesters in Essex, aren't locals anyway, so they certainly aren't NIMBY's. It appears even the locals don't like them much. If fracking realises as much potential for fuel as the experts mention, I'm all for it. (although I can't see it bringing down the price of gas, but at least there's less chance of be held to ransom, by foreign companies, who export gas here.).
 
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Watching the news recently, it seems the protesters in Essex, aren't locals anyway, so they certainly aren't NIMBY's. It appears even the locals don't like them much. If fracking realises as much potential for fuel as the experts mention, I'm all for it. (although I can't see it bringing down the price of gas, but at least there's less chance of be held to ransom, by foreign companies, who export gas here.).

Yes, I forgot about them. Rentamob. They turn up bang on cue whenever there's a march or a protest. Not sure why they do it: for kicks? to try to bring down the country?

No, I'm sure it won't reduce our fuel bills. Neither will nuclear fusion (power from water) if that ever comes about. Power companies want profits however they obtain their materials.

Personally, like you I'd be very pleased to see this country produce all of the gas and electricity it needs. At the moment we rely on countries such as France (with their well established nuclear industry) for electricity and Russia for gas.
 
There's actually nothing new about fracking, it's been going on for years. What will change is the scale of the operation. We don't exactly have that many options though. If we'd started developing a few nuke power stations 10 years ago we might be in a better position but we didn't so we're stuck with what we've got. We can import gas from abroad in increasing volumes and cost, or we can develop fracking technology and regain some degree of control. The campaigners are the usual suspects. Most don't understand the issues and the truth really is they're not interested in understanding. Then you have the eco-warriors who would say put up more solar panels but anybody with any sense of reality knows that's just a nice fluffy dream. Then you have the grannies and housewives with too much time on their hands.
 
Wholesale NG USA.

NYMEX Natural Gas USD/MMBtu $3.47

MMBtu = One million British Thermal Units = 293.071 kWhrs

3.47 / 293 = $0.0118 / kWh ( $0.0118 / 1.56 = £0.0075 / kWh )

--------------------------------

My average cost of gas o/a £1.12 per therm ( 1 therm = 29.3 kWh )

£1.12 / 29.3 = £0.038 / kWh

£0.038 x 0.45 = £0.017'ish / kWh wholesale

_56134989_bill_breakdown_464.gif


USA £0.0075 / kWh : UK £0.017'ish / kWh wholesale.

UK cost currently 2.26 times USA or USA just 44% of UK cost.

If safety issues can be resolved, will we in fact benefit from reductions in costs due to fracking? Or will the suppliers just add to profits, leaving us the odd taxpayer or three with hardly reducing gas bills but potentially huge 'clean up' costs ?

Licences should be issued at least on the basis of 'use it or lose it' this should force urgent action...

-0-
 
This just about sums up the government's attitude to the risks of fracking...

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1061..._Sussex_from_fracking_was_known_by_officials/

Add to that the vast amounts of water needed for fracking in a drought prone area...

Andt of course the 50% of contaminated water that must be stored after returning to the surface on the pad, because no-one has a clue what to do with it..

Anyone who has done even the slightest bit of research should be extremely worried about the dangers of fracking in a heavily populated area, since sparsly populated areas in other countries have already been contaminated...
 
since sparsly populated areas in other countries have already been contaminated...

That's because most of those places have lax environmental controls, not because of fracking specifically.

There are plenty of places that have been turned to toxic sludge from oil, we have radioactive Chernobyl, the poison rivers of china from cloth dyes, and the burning coalfields.

None of those examples are arguments against the various industries, they are just arguments for environmental controls.

Add to that the vast amounts of water needed for fracking in a drought prone area...

Which is just an argument to finally build another reservoir or build a pipe from rainy wales to the southeast, which has to be done at some point anyway.
 
theres a risk of it contaminating the water supplies.

How? You may want to look into conny's comment. He has hit the preverbial nail on the head.

I wont get sucked in to just one comment
well I am still learning about this,but they have to pump millions of gallons of water,whith added chemicals.
its been baned in france and Bulgaria,but as I said I am looking at this both ways.
I don't trust governments,and if they are desperate for new energy,they will hide the truth,for the sake of progress. but in the long term
it could be a disaster.
 
theres a risk of it contaminating the water supplies.

How? You may want to look into conny's comment. He has hit the preverbial nail on the head.

Lots of videos where householders are show setting fire to the tap water.

The fire from water taps has been shown on many occasions that the gas in the Water supply was a s result of Coal Mining NOT Fracking.

No, it was on TV, so it must be caused by Fracking.

Why you so dumb?
 
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