Shale gas on the rise?

On September 5^th, Britain’s Energy Secretary, Ed Davey, gave strong support for fracking. “If we can have gas safely in this country that will mean jobs, tax revenue and greater energy security – so fracking is not the evil thing that some people try to make it out to be,” he said on BBC’s Radio Five’s Energy Day programme.  Michael Kavanagh wrote recently in the Financial Times that there are still many doubts in parts of Scotland

Fracking battle lines drawn in Scotland

The town of Airth on the Firth of Forth is known for its reputedly haunted castle and proximity to the Dunmore Pineapple folly – dubbed the most bizarre building in Scotland.

But, depending on the outcome of a public inquiry, it could become the next battleground between anti-fracking protesters and companies keen to drill onshore for unconventional gas.

Australian-listed Dart Energy is engaged in a clash with campaign groups opposing its plans to develop coal bed methane production in an area covered by Falkirk and Sterling councils.

Dart, alongside Cuadrilla Resources, also holds acreage in the Bowland Shale formation in northwest England where it hopes to develop shale gas production.

Meanwhile, it is keen to push on with the Scottish project it says could see £120m invested, create 50 jobs and supply up to 14bn cubic feet of gas to the National Grid over the lifetime of the project.

Test drilling has been carried out but the failure of Falkirk and Sterling councils to grant planning permission for a rollout has led the Scottish government to appoint official reporters to determine whether the project gets the go-ahead.

Coal bed methane is extracted from fractures in coal by drilling through seams resulting in the release of water and gas.

Karen Heywood and David Bullya – the independent officials – are expected to begin hearing evidence in late October.

However, a wave of public attacks on Dart Energy from groups such as Forth Valley Against Unconventional Gas (Faug) and Frack Off Scotland last week led the company to publish a 78-page defence ahead of the inquiry.

It also criticised Friends of the Earth Scotland for declining invitations to discuss its plans, which it says includes a pledge not to undertake fracking in the area in a project aimed at exploiting narrow coal seams not suited to conventional mining.

According to Douglas Bain, general manager of Dart Energy: “The company has answered all questions and objections in an open and honest manner, regrettably the same cannot be said for certain anti-hydrocarbon campaign groups.

“Rather than engage with us in a science led debate they use misleading data and scare tactics to negatively influence local opinion. Such tactics are not only disingenuous but also disrespectful to the communities they claim to represent.”

The accusations were rejected on Tuesday by Ed Pybus, a spokesman for Frack Off Scotland.

He agrees that some objections are based on general opposition to hydrocarbon production. However, he insists there are specific reasons to object to coal bed methane projects in residential areas. “We are against shale gas, coal bed methane and underground coal gasification,” he says. “Unconventional gas is highly damaging. You have to put a lot of energy in to get energy out.”

He also argues that, although coal bed methane has become a source of fuel in Australia and the US, there is limited scientific evidence on its environmental impact. He also pointed to the danger of “fugitive emissions” of methane into the atmosphere and water pollution.

So far, more than 2,500 objections have been lodged against the project. Though the decision has been taken out of the political arena, Mr Pybus says the ability of either side to appeal could yet see a final decision being handed to the SNP-led Scottish government