UK shale rules gather speed with new powers

Britain will use new powers to accelerate shale gas production, reports Brian Davis. Local government minister Greg Clark informed Lancashire County Council of his intention to determine Cuadrilla’s appeal on two previously rejected permits in north-west England. In a letter dated 26 November, he said ministers intend to over-rule the local planning decisions in order to ‘recover Cuadrilla’s appeals for shale exploration in Lancashire’ to meet national rather than local interests where necessary.

Despite fervent local and national environmental opposition, Cuadrilla’s wells are mooted to be the first British shale gas wells where fracking is applied, since an 18-month ban resulted from an earth tremor at a separate project near Blackpool in 2011. A decision on the appeal could be made by the second half of 2016, and some drilling is likely in the second half of 2017 to determine if reserves can be exploited economically.

The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced changes to planning rules in August to allow government intervention to approve or reject shale gas drilling permits and give priority to appeals involving shale gas projects. In his Autumn Review (see p11), Chancellor George Osborne confirmed the creation of a shale wealth fund that would receive up to 10% of tax revenue from shale gas developments for investment in local communities.

Image - Aerial photograph of Cuadrilla site