For publication as letter or short contribution (no
embargo)
Re: Your article "Fracking: Ryedale Licenses", Wed. August 14th
Dear Editor,
Shale gas exploration is coming to
Ryedale, of that there is no doubt in my mind. Cameron, as you report, believes
it to be a good thing that will “cause a very minor change to the landscape” and has a “…real potential
to drive energy bills down”. As a petrophysicist of more than 25 years standing
in both academia and the oil industry, I would agree with the first comment
with reservations and rate the chances of the second turning out to be true as
extremely small.
The
most important thing is that the local community can make their minds up about
shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing using clear, reliable and
unbiased evidence. The trouble is that so much of the ‘information’ currently
available is mere opinion pedalled by those with a biased agenda.
The
oil and gas industry will not lie to you - but they will, of course, couch
their information to show them in the best light. One should remember that
environmental groups such as Greenpeace will do exactly the same - they both
have opposing agendas - they look at the process from very different ethical standpoints.
Environmental activists won’t lie to you either, but 19 times out of twenty
their opinions are dangerously warped or just plain wrong.
Rarely,
we get a balanced view. As in Balcombe Parish Council’s working group’s 2012 report
on fracking (http://balcombeparishcouncil.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/the-fracking-report.pdf), which is extremely clear and
concise and approaches the problem with informed common sense. It makes
excellent reading for anyone who would like to know more about this type of
exploration and production. In my blog
All Gas and Gaiters (http://gasandgaiters.blogspot.co.uk/), I too try to explain the issues in a
scientific and unbiased fashion in clear and simple language.
Informed
local consent, should be central to the whole issue. However, there is a gap of
understanding and trust. For example, Anne McIntosh MP in your article mentions
subsidence as a possible problem, yet subsidence has never and will never
happen as a result of hydraulic fracturing for shale gas.
In
summary, relying on announcements from the industry and government or
environmental groups and their activists is like asking two people for the time
of a bus: One says 1 o’clock and the other says 4 o’clock, and you do not know
which of them to trust. It would be best to consult a bus guide as an authoritative
source. Unfortunately for shale gas and fracking the authoritative, unbiased
guide is largely missing. Industry, government (national or local),
environmental groups or activists will not provide one as their views are
skewed. We need to find someone who can!
Let’s
not miss the bus, but let’s make sure we get on the right one for us!
Professor Paul Glover
Chair of
Petrophysics
University
of Leeds
Please note the contents of this letter
represent the point of view of the author and form no part of the policy or
opinions of the University of Leeds as a corporate entity.
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