Anti-Fracking Protest?!

robgmun · 20 Aug 2013 at 12:49

oh god

That Green MP got arrested, she's going to be even more unbearable for the next few years

alx · 20 Aug 2013 at 12:52

Thompson_NCL said:
I understand why locals might not want fracking in their area, but at a national level we do need this. Not to mention it will create jobs, taxes and hopefully cheaper energy prices.

It might be better to do this offshore, but currently the process is quite expensive. It might be worth the government investing in that, so we can do it in the North Sea rather than say Cumbria.

In general/at the moment it's far too expensive to do fracking offshore and the margins are too small - hence it's mainly done onshore currently.

oulton · 20 Aug 2013 at 12:54

has anyone seen the movie gasland?

I'm concerned about what fracking will do to the water table.

Glaucus · 20 Aug 2013 at 12:55

oulton said:
has anyone seen the movie gasland?

I'm concerned about what fracking will do to the water table.

You enjoy fiction do you. See a couple of posts above yours.

oulton · 20 Aug 2013 at 12:59

Glaucus said:
You enjoy fiction do you. See a couple of posts above yours.

Here we go again...

janp · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:02

Let's be honest though, it's a short term solution to a long term problem. More should be done to research new technologies, refine existing renewable technologies. Fracking isn't the answer to our energy problems.

Azza · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:04

oulton said:
has anyone seen the movie gasland?

I'm concerned about what fracking will do to the water table.

Not sure if serious.

robj20 · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:05

janp said:
Let's be honest though, it's a short term solution to a long term problem. More should be done to research new technologies, refine existing renewable technologies. Fracking isn't the answer to our energy problems.

It is for the near future. Plenty is being done to research long term sources but it can take decades.

Kishywish · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:05

Thompson_NCL said:
I understand why locals might not want fracking in their area, but at a national level we do need this. Not to mention it will create jobs, taxes and hopefully cheaper energy prices.

+1

R&D is always taking place, but for now this appears to be a good solution.

Glaucus · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:07

janp said:
Let's be honest though, it's a short term solution to a long term problem. More should be done to research new technologies, refine existing renewable technologies. Fracking isn't the answer to our energy problems.

There is lots of research, grants and projects.

Obviusly we have the massive fusion project.
We are world leaders in stealth turbines, which allows them to be built where before they can't.
We are world leaders in turbine size.
We also have the sea renewable test site for wave and other reserch projects.

oulton · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:07

I see fracking as a smash and grab idea, would much prefer increased nuclear production as an alternative

HAz · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:08

Always the same useless hippys u see.

oulton · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:10

Azza said:
Not sure if serious.

Not sure if mentally capable of comprehending that pumping chemicals into the water table will be bad for the environment.

Seems a few posters on here need to feel cool by riding the skeptic band wagon

fozzybear · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:12

Experts, experts everywhere.

Theophany · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:12

shroomz said:
The thing is, you can't argue with a protestor. No matter what your background is, they know everything there is to know and more and you're just one of the sheeple bleating along. I just shrug nowadays and feel happy that they have no actual power

This is bang on the money.

elmarko · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:22

From problem with fracking is mostly the speed it's been expanded without any real long term studies of the environmental, geological impact - related to water contamination or the release of greenhouse gases (due to methane leaks).

Government targets are what's driving much of the green energy push & investment in R&D in this area - overly generous subsidies in polluting (via fracking tax breaks) undermines this objective somewhat.

On the flip side, the public really does need help in reducing the burden of the cost of energy - as increased energy costs impact on the lowest earners the highest & they are not financially able to take on the additional cost of these green initiatives.

deuse · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:37

I'm glad that the US has seen the light and has invested in Water-free fracking, it's being tested in Texas.

Amp34 · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:41

oulton said:
Not sure if mentally capable of comprehending that pumping chemicals into the water table will be bad for the environment.

Seems a few posters on here need to feel cool by riding the skeptic band wagon

You're not pumping it into the water table... You're pumping it thousands of feet beneath the water table, mixing it with water full of rubbish anyway... The only real way you would mix groundwater with fracking fluids is if you spilled it on the ground at surface (you have to have impermiable membranes down to stop mud/fluids from the well getting into the grroundwater anyway) or via compromised casing. UK regulation/best practice means there will be three cemented metal tubes covering any drinkable aquifer in shale gas wells to stop this happening (for perspective most/all US wells will have only one as standard). There is still no conclusive evidence that in the US fracking fluid (as opposed to drilling mud) has got to/pollluted ground water in any case.

Trusty · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:44

Reaper 392 said:
10% of the gas that has been discovered in the north of England so far will be enough to provide the entire UK with gas for 50 years. So yeah, its 'nothing much'

Yeah, but is it safe?

Firestar_3x · 20 Aug 2013 at 13:45

Amp34 said:
You're not pumping it into the water table... You're pumping it thousands of feet beneath the water table, mixing it with water full of rubbish anyway... The only real way you would mix groundwater with fracking fluids is if you spilled it on the ground at surface (you have to have impermiable membranes down to stop mud/fluids from the well getting into the grroundwater anyway) or via compromised casing. UK regulation/best practice means there will be three cemented metal tubes covering any drinkable aquifer in shale gas wells to stop this happening (for perspective most/all US wells will have only one as standard). There is still no conclusive evidence that in the US fracking fluid (as opposed to drilling mud) has got to/pollluted ground water in any case.

How dare you bring facts into this!

Trusty said:
Yeah, but is it safe?

Depends what you actually mean by 'safe'.