Letters round up

They proposed to fracture the rock, using the well they drilled in 2013, at five different depths. The fractures will extend out from the vertical well to a distance of 250ft to 100ft.

The well is already drilled, and there is not mention of developing it horizontally by drilling “laterals”.

Horizontal drilling (a relatively new technology) is characteristic of shale gas extraction; “laterals” can typically be more than a mile long.

Perhaps this is why their application quotes a (relatively) short duration of preparation and fracking stages, and plays down the resultant effects on the surrounding area and residents (noise, vehicle movements, etc).

However, the application also states their intention, if the test-fracks prove successful, to put this well into commercial production for nine years.

Nine years of commercial gas extraction from KM8 with no further drilling or fracking?

If one or more of the tested zones show viable gas reserves, surely they will want to drill lateral wells further out into these formations (followed by more fracking) to maximise production.

In which case the figures given in their application (duration of works, truck movements, volumes of fresh water and of contaminated waste water), will no longer be valid.

Moreover, I notice that the FAQs on their website, drilling lateral wells is mentioned as a possibility.

Is this application only for a “test-frack” – or something more?

I wrote to Third Energy (in August) for clarification and hope for a reply.

S Jennings, Pickering

Third Energy did not reassure me

THIRD Energy’s assurances at the meeting in Kirby Misperton on October 1, which was supposed to set locals' minds at rest concerning the health impacts of fracking, failed spectacularly in this regard, at least in so far as the present writer is concerned.

Their spokesman Dr Andrew Buroni tried hard to convince us that the identification and addressing of individual hazards miraculously reduced cumulative risk to insignificance.

He also tried to convince us that regulations springing to some extent from findings when exploiting conventional gas would suffice for (unconventional) fracking. If it goes wrong, we’ll fix it for next time, seemed to be the approach. Perhaps that reassured some.

What Third Energy seem not to have understood is that concerns over fracking go much deeper than worries about whether one company can frack a small number of wells apparently safely over a short period, concerns addressed often on these letters pages and elsewhere.

Perhaps this will be clearer to them now after Kevin Hollinrake, surprisingly reassured after the negative reports he received in Pennsylvania, was obliged by the meeting to open the floor to many who were clearly dissatisfied with Third Energy’s “we’ve thought of everything” approach.

The sole indirect reference I heard to global warming, perhaps the strongest argument against initiating a new UK fossil fuel industry, was Mr Hollinrake’s “wouldn’t it be nice if we could avoid fracking” comment at the outset of the meeting. We can, Mr Hollinrake. Talk to David Cameron about switching subsidy from fossil fuels to renewables, and object to this frack, the first of many, now.

David Cragg-James, Stonegrave

Who will pay the clean-up bill?

HAVING read the letter from Jerry Swift in the Gazette & Herald we felt we had to respond.

While not opposed to progress, we do feel that fracking is more of a potential hazard than a single industry at one point. Fracking will occur at multiple sites requiring many vehicle movements and each site will have a risk. This could be over a 30-year period.

While everybody is focused on KM8 and Third Energy, other companies have bought licences for exploration and possible gas production. At worst that will entail fracking sites at approximately three miles apart virtually right across Ryedale and surrounding areas. Each site could have up to 20 well heads. We admit that the problems the USA have had are not endemic, but where they have occurred it has been disastrous, secondly even with the vastness of the USA drill sites have occurred within 1000ft of people’s property.

It will require only one major leak of chemicals into the aquifers to render our drinking water undrinkable or leaking of gas into the atmosphere to cause sickness to the local population and pollute the environment. Who will pay the bill for the clean up?

Our MP, Kevin Hollinrake has stated that the UK fracking industry is going to have robust regulations and monitoring. The majority of these will be self-regulated by the gas industry. Could we be heading in the same direction as the Volkswagen diesel car scandal?

Are we prepared to take these risks for a short term monetary gain?

Anne and Mike Rutter, Helmsley

High hopes for car park spot

I COMMENT further to the report in this week’s Gazette – “Deal renewed by single vote”. All power to Councillor Linda Cowling’s elbow.

Firstly, we live in a Tory area – so we should believe in competition – or do we? Further, I am a Maltonian born and bred, in 1935, above the then-family business at 57 Market Place, M A TAYLOR & SONS, Master Plumbers and Glaziers.

I was not allowed to take over the business. Alas, it exists no more. I have lived in Norton-on-Derwent since 1957.

Let’s attract more visitors by having a shopping mall like Hornsey Freeport/Hornsey Potteries.

The best supermarket, Aldi, as recommended by Which, should be the first priority on Wentworth Street Car Park. I doubt very much that Tesco will take up an invitation when it is currently closing stores.

Further, because we now have no car and I am disabled, I do our shopping online and get it delivered by Tesco for £1. It would be very nice to be able to browse in all the shops in Malton but, sadly, I am unable – because I am disabled.

I pose the question: When Booth’s supermarket becomes the reality, will one be able to have their order delivered for £1?

I hope Linda and Ryedale District Council stay positive and eventually sell Wentworth Street car park.

John Taylor, Norton

Fracking figures

WHO came up with the figure of “up to 950 fracking wells in Ryedale”?

John Dewar, of Third Energy, in his evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs parliamentary committee on March 10: “....we do not foresee the need for more than 10 more sites [in addition to the nine existing]”. “And how many wells we would put on those sites…it could be 10 to 20…to 50”. Simple arithmetic gives an upper value of 950.

Professor Andy Aplin of Durham University told the Shale UK Conference in March 2014 that the North of England might need 33,000 gas wells. And in MP Kevin Hollinrake’s parliamentary debate on June 30, the figure 18,000 was given.

Whatever the final total, let’s all agree – whether for or against fracking – that it’s a big number. Disregarding the contested health and ground water risks, just the associated construction traffic, waste and chemical transport, drilling noise and light pollution across multiple sites will change the character of the countryside. Simple question: “Do you want to live in a mining area?”

Steven M White, Great Edstone

Mind the gaps

I ATTENDED the recent Regulators Question Time chaired by Kevin Hollinrake MP. I remain deeply concerned about the gaps in UK regulation.

Joanne Hawkins, in Fracking: Minding the gaps. Environmental Law Review, 2015, vol 17 (1), 8-21 is specific. Reports, such as those conducted by the Royal Society and Public Health England, have expressed the opinion that if a “robust” regulatory system is in place, the risks associated with fracking can be reduced. andcontrolled.

The Government insists that current regulation for conventional oil and gas extraction is adequate to control fracking. However, these controls were designed pre-fracking and, as will be discussed, while current oil and gas regulations do not fail to offer any relevant controls, their application leaves a number of gaps which may risk harm to human health and/or damage to the environment. The lack of English experience and expertise in relation to the regulation of fracking questions the ability of local authorities and other regulators to deal with and monitor such developments. The complexity in England with a multiplicity of authorities involved in the regulation of fracking is a significant concern with the associated risk of regulatory gaps.

I rest my case.

Caroline Davis, Hovingham

Cake sale success

ON Saturday, September 26, a cake stall fund raising event for the Marie Curie charity was held in Pickering Market Place. A very big thank you to everyone involved. all the people who produced the items sold, to those who helped sell them and to those who bought them. More than £500 was raised.

Joy Baker, Pickering

Position available

AS a member of Scagglethorpe Parish Council I was given the problem task of finding a new parish clerk.

for the council.

Little did I realise this problem was to turn into would become a major headache. Six months has past and no one person has replied to my advert.

I have rung other parish clerks to see if they would be interested in taking on this paid position, but have had no luck as yet.

This lack of people wanting to do this kind of work, which is only a few hours a week, in Scagglethorpe, will eventually fall onto Ryedale District Council as parish councils will be unable to function.

I hope they are prepared for this.

Paul Douthwaite, Scagglethorpe