How can fossil fuels and uranium be kept in the ground and agrofuels off the land in ways that do not inflict suffering upon millions? Mainstream policy responses to these issues are largely framed in terms of "energy security". Yet far from making energy supplies more secure, such policies are triggering a cascade of new insecurities for millions of people. This report considers the pitfalls of 'energy security' both as policy and as rhetoric. Continue reading ...

A loophole which allowed a shale gas company to drill without a full environmental report is to be reviewed after it was claimed water contamination was a possibility. Cuadrilla Resources did not need to carry out a full environmental impact assessment before it began fracking in Weeton because its drilling area is smaller than one hectare – something local campaigners have blasted as “crazy”. Continue reading ...

Estimates for recoverable shale gas just keep falling. Last year, the Potential Gas Committee, an industry consortium that focuses on long-term projections, estimated that recoverable natural gas from shale deposits in the United States would amount to 687 trillion cubic feet (tcf). This optimistic appraisal laid the groundwork for the oft-repeated notion that the United States has 100 years of natural gas supply at current rates of consumption... Continue reading...

The anti-fracking movement in the United States is gaining in strength and numbers. In New York State, 21 towns have declared bans; a further 40 have declared moratoria; 35 have movements for a ban or a moratorium. (clicl here for an interactive map). Dozens of municipalities have adopted zoning ordinances that remove natural gas exploration and extraction from the list of permissible land uses within their borders. Continue reading ...

A cold January evening saw a reasonably lively turn out to another Lancashire based Shale Gas Q & A - this time at Burscough Wharf. Organised by the local Parish Council, proceedings started with a 25 minute presentation by Cuadrilla. Phil Mitchell of the Blackpool Green Party spoke for around 10 minutes and the floor was then opened up to a general questions and answer session. It was noted that the HSE [Health and Safety Executive] had declined their invitation to the meeting due to 'lack of resources' - this was a source of frustration in getting answers to questions. The Environment Agency did their best to answer certain questions on the HSE's behalf however this only served to highlight the issue that agency's are already working on limited budgets, which raises further concerns over monitoring resources and operational safety.

Amongst those in attendance were representatives from Cuadrilla Resources, PPS Group, The Environment Agency, Ribble Estuary Against Fracking and Residents Action on Fylde Fracking as well as many local residents. The full audio from the meeting can be found on REAF's YouTube channel here http://youtu.be/veKuDc9bp3A

Photo stills from the event can be found in the Photo Gallery

"Fugitive methane" released during shale gas drilling could accelerate climate change. Add methane emissions to the growing list of environmental risks posed by fracking. Opposition to the hydraulic fracturing of deep shales to release natural gas rose sharply last year over worries that the large volumes of chemical-laden water used in the operations could contaminate drinking water. Then, in early January, earthquakes in Ohio ...

Read the rest of the article here ;
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fracking-would-emit-methane

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Cuadrilla have just installed a network of 21 GasClams to monitor their current exploration sites and are the world’s first company to use it as part of an automated early warning system. As part of Cuadrilla’s exploration operations, it has commissioned GasClam to monitor background gas concentrations prior to operations, with the monitoring device left in the ground to measure, record and transmit gas concentrations throughout Cuadrilla’s operations.

Read the rest of the article here ;
http://www.ionscience.com/blog/2012/01/monitoring-fracking-a-local-solution-to-global-energy-problems/