Fracking: Why new wells would need to be drilled every month
The technical difficulties encountered in extracting shale gas – so-called fracking – mean new wells need to be continually drilled, sometimes on a monthly basis, a new report will reveal today.
The report, by the Global Energy Watch Group will be made public at a press conference in the House of Commons.
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A fracking site in operation
It comes as another report, by UK scientists, suggests that Britain should use natural gas, including from shale, to replace coal and help cut carbon emissions.
Welsh firm UK Methane recently withdrew an application for coal bed methane exploration work at Hicks Gate near Keynsham but says it still intends to apply for planning permission for a full production facility there.
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The company maintains that the technology is safe and may benefit the economy.
Bath and North East Somerset Council is concerned at the possible impact of fracking on the city’s world-famous hot springs, particularly as there is interest from firms in exploring energy potential under the Mendips.
Fracking involves using high-pressure liquid to split rock and extract the gas.
Exploratory work in Lancashire in 2011 caused two small earthquakes.
The new British report, from the Grantham Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics warns that it would be risky to assume gas prices will be low in the coming years or that the UK has extensive supplies of shale gas.
It adds that gas-fired power stations can only play a significant role in generating electricity beyond 2030 if they are fitted with technology to trap and store their carbon emissions.
Chancellor George Osborne has provoked controversy with moves that signalled a new “dash for gas” including proposing tax relief for shale gas exploitation.
Fracking was put on hold as a result of the Lancashire earthquakes but Energy Secretary Ed Davey ruled last December that the process could resume in the UK.
The Global Energy Watch Group report into the state of the world’s energy supplies will reveal the difficulties the USA is facing in fracking.
It says that within days of finding a supply of shale gas the extraction difficulties result in an almost immediate production decline of 7-10 per cent per month. To maintain output a rolling programme of new wells need to be drilled.
As a result in Arkansas the Fayetteville Shale Field, covers approximately 800 square miles. To extract the shale gas there are currently 3,068 wells. To maintain production as the wells decline 50 new wells have to be drilled each month.
There is only limited potential for shale supplies in the West Country.
Campaigners now fear that wells could proliferate in areas such as north Somerset.
Wells MP Tessa Munt said yesterday that she welcomed: “This invaluable report. It is of particular interest for Somerset.”
Last month Glastonbury Town Council passed a resolution that it would not support fracking in Mendip
It is concerned that the process might affect the town’s two sacred wells and the local spring water company.
10 Comments
by fusion_wurzel
Tuesday, March 19 2013, 4:03PM
“From 2015 a few days every year without electricity....
bbc dot co dot uk / programmes / b01r9cdj
Listen to John Hayes the "Haven't got any Energy Minister" flounder embarrassingly - one knows he's terminally clueless as he invokes "carbon capture and storage"”
by fusion_wurzel
Tuesday, March 19 2013, 3:58PM
“BBC You & Yours today
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From 37 minutes in all you downvoting Greenies can learn a bit of arithmetic...
DECC buffoon minister John Hayes flounders hopelessly...”
by fusion_wurzel
Monday, March 18 2013, 6:20PM
“It would seem that Tessa Munt MP is seeking to cherrypick this report whilst actually concealing its provenance to do a little local grandstanding with her green cronies...
Her motivation is to my mind highly questionable and from here looks decidedly biased and irrational unless you're angling unashamedly for the wingnut end of the Green vote.
Tessa and her advisors seem to have a naive and simplistic view of how enhanced gas recovery works and also seem to have a full on urge to do arithmetic like three apples+ one banana = 1 orange.
At least publish a link to the report so we can see who wrote it, what their expertise is and so on.
Tessa - are you a fan of Josh Fox?”
by mhelenmary
Monday, March 18 2013, 6:01PM
“One positive thing that could come out of this government, holes that will be like a sieve to get rid of all the standing water.
The other thing might be an election.”
by wheelie_bin
Monday, March 18 2013, 5:00PM
“When they've finished will it reduce flooding in the area with so many new drain holes?”
by mhelenmary
Monday, March 18 2013, 4:40PM
“Some of us are very cold already living in properties, that are rented and no insulated. This should be the start, insulate all property where you can.
This government has little idea of the reality of life, that there are those who struggle to live, and not all are unemployed.
As I said, the arguments continue about housing, about bedroom tax, the cost of living, and I fear for those who are not in the high earning bracket.
The policies on energy are a bit way off the mark.”
by lamail
Monday, March 18 2013, 4:38PM
“Crack on with the frack - there is no time to lose.”
by fusion_wurzel
Monday, March 18 2013, 4:21PM
“I note that there's no link to the pompously titled "Global Energy Watch Group" or the report - in fact they seem to be notably absent from a simple Google search... not an invention of the anti fracking crew / Greenpeace / WWF / FoE perchance ?
In fact most of the links go back to the "usual suspect " scaremongering Greenie NGOs, their hedge fund parasite chums and their demon spawn frackwits in the provinces...
The assertion that the wells need such regular drilling can't be supported and is a calibrated lie. Since you can't say how often a formation needs stimulating until you've actually drilled it...
The uniformed assertions in this article are simply irresponsible. Do some research Western Daily Press - don't accept the mendacious, toxic scaremongering connived press releases of the Greenies as another copy 'n paste between cups of coffee.
Woo, scaremongering, lies, contrived and biased manufactured "reports"... familiar stuff from the Greens.
The fact of the matter is that because of stupid energy policies - I mean really stupid, near criminal energy policies - serviceable power stations are being shut down with no substitutes sources set up to take the load.
The political thuggery of the innumerate, technically naive, dishonest Green movement is responsible for the collapse of our present energy infrastructure - that much is clear.
Carry on like this and we'll freeze next winter”
by mhelenmary
Monday, March 18 2013, 3:51PM
“I hope this and the bedroom tax will die a quick death. I hope that building homes and investment in the housing market will replace the ideas there is something for nothing.
A very disheartening society we live in.”
by Yetypu
Monday, March 18 2013, 12:09PM
“This report is based on a misapprehension. After any well is stimulated there will be an immediate rush of return flow, known as 'flush production' as the well unloads the fluids pumped into it. This flush production will lessen as the injected fluids are expelled. After this has tapered off the well will go on semi-steady production. In shale this appears to be at about 33% of initial production after 2 years. The well will then produce for many decades.
It is an impossibility to maintain field production at figures based upon initial flush production, as the report seems to suggest. Sensible reservoir management would be to design for the expectation of the semi-steady 33% rate of true {non flush} production.
Wells MP Tessa Munt seems possessed of several misunderstandings on the subject, i.e. about chemicals used, as mush as about production rates.”