Fracking in the United Kingdom facts for kids
Fracking in the United Kingdom began in the late 1970s. It was first used in regular oil and gas fields near the North Sea. From the early 1980s, about 200 onshore oil and gas wells in Britain used this method. People started paying more attention to fracking after companies received licenses in 2008 to explore for shale gas on land.
The topic caused a lot of public discussion, especially about its effects on the environment. In 2019, a High Court ruling eventually banned the process. The last two large-scale fracking wells were planned to be sealed and taken out of use in 2022.
Even though "fracking" is often used to mean getting shale gas and other unusual oil and gas sources, it's not always right to link it only with unusual gas.
Contents
A Look Back: Fracking's History
The first time hydraulic fracturing was tried anywhere in the world was in 1947. The first successful uses of fracking for business happened in 1949 in the United States. Fracking has been used a lot in the US. It has helped produce electricity using gas instead of coal, which has cut CO2 emissions in half.
Fracking at Sea: Offshore Operations
In the United Kingdom, the first time an oil well was hydraulically fractured was soon after the West Sole field was found in the North Sea in 1965. By the late 1970s, hydraulic fracturing became a common method in North Sea oil and gas wells. The first time fracking was done from a ship in the British Southern North Sea was in 1980. Large-scale fracking started being used from 1984 onwards.
Fracking on Land: Onshore Operations
About 200 regular onshore wells have used a small amount of hydraulic fracturing. This is about 10% of all onshore wells in the UK. This includes Wytch Farm, which is the biggest regular onshore oil field in western Europe.
From 1977 to 1994, scientists did an experiment with hot dry rock geothermal energy in Cornwall. During this experiment, three geothermal wells, about 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) deep, were hydraulically fractured. This was to study how water could help create cracks in rocks at temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit).
Public interest in large-scale fracking in the UK grew in 2008. This was when Cuadrilla Resources got permission to explore for shale gas along the coast of Lancashire. The company's first and only large-scale fracking job happened in March 2011, near Blackpool, Lancashire. Cuadrilla stopped working in May 2011 at their Lancashire site. This was because small earthquakes damaged the well.
On November 2, 2019, the UK government put a temporary ban on fracking in England. Scotland and Wales also have bans in place.
In late May 2011, the first UK exploration for shale gas using large-scale fracking was stopped. This happened at Preese Hall in Weeton, Lancashire. The process caused two small earthquakes. The bigger earthquake was strong enough to be felt and slightly changed the shape of the well. A 2012 report by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering said the risk of earthquakes was very small. They suggested the process could be allowed nationwide. However, they also pointed out some concerns that led to new rules.
In January 2014, the European Commission gave advice on how to explore for shale gas using large-scale fracking.
A government report from 2016 about the UK shale gas industry was finally made public in 2019. This happened after a three-year legal fight. However, three-quarters of its pages were blacked out. The parts that could be read said the government was "doing important work on communications to make the public accept shale." In March 2019, the High Court ruled that the UK government's policy was against the law. It had not considered the climate impact of getting shale gas.
In November 2019, the government announced an "indefinite suspension" of fracking. This came after a report from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) said it was not possible to guess how likely or how big tremors caused by fracking would be. Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom said the ban might be temporary. It would last "until and unless" getting gas this way is proven safe. By February 2022, the two Cuadrilla wells in Lancashire, which had been closed since the ban, were supposed to be sealed and taken out of use.
By mid-March 2022, four weeks into the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the CEO of Cuadrilla asked the government to keep the wells open for energy security.
How Fracking Works: The Process
Hydraulic fracturing is a way to make wells work better. It involves breaking rock by using fluid under high pressure. This process is also called 'fracking'. To do this, a borehole (a narrow hole) is drilled deep into the rock layer where oil or gas is found. Wells can be drilled horizontally or vertically. After the well is drilled, lined, and checked with special tools, the rock can be fractured.
Fracking's Impact on the Environment
Fracking can have several environmental risks. These include:
- Contamination of groundwater (water underground).
- Contamination of surface water (like rivers and lakes).
- Releases into the air.
- Using up too much water.
- Increased traffic.
- Taking up land.
- Noise.
- Changes to the view.
- Small earthquakes (seismicity).
Environmental studies look at many concerns. These include harm to habitats, effects on wildlife, traffic, noise, lighting, and air pollution.
Professor Mair of the Royal Society said that the risk of causing earthquakes with any big impact, or of cracks reaching and polluting drinking water, was very low. This is true "if proper rules are in place."
A report from AMEC in December 2013 looked at many environmental issues. These issues could arise if the shale gas industry grew very large.
The British Geological Survey helps with environmental monitoring.
In October 2014, EASAC (a group of European science academies) said: "Overall, in Europe more than 1000 horizontal wells and several thousand hydraulic fracturing jobs have been done in recent decades. None of these operations are known to have caused safety or environmental problems."
In October 2016, Amec Foster Wheeler Infrastructure Ltd (AFWI) compared the environmental effects of large-scale fracking with regular, small-scale fracking. The study found that the amount of fluid injected and flowback (water that returns from the well) were the only major differences. The study also found that the impacts and risks for large-scale fracking increased for land use, traffic, surface water pollution, and using up water resources.
Air Quality Concerns
In February 2016, a study found "big increases" in local air pollution. This happened during the short time when there was a lot of traffic. This traffic included delivering fracking equipment, sand, and water. It also included removing flowback water from the site. These short-term increases could go beyond local air quality rules.
In October 2016, Amec Foster Wheeler Infrastructure Ltd said that the overall environmental effects of small-scale fracking on local air quality and global warming are low. Local air quality is affected by dust and SO2 and NOx gases. These come "from equipment and vehicles used to transport, pressurize, and inject fracturing fluids, and process flowback." Also, "Emissions of CO2 from the equipment used to pressurize and inject fracturing fluids, and process flowback" add to global warming.
Water Quality Concerns
The RAE report said, "Many claims of polluted water wells due to shale gas extraction have been made. None has shown proof of chemicals found in hydraulic fracturing fluids."
In January 2015, the British Geological Survey released information on natural methane levels across the country. These showed a wide range of readings. Poor sealing of wells at the surface, which lets methane leak, was named as a risk to groundwater in the Royal Academy of Engineering report. Because of this, the Infrastructure Act 2015 now requires monitoring to happen 12 months before fracking starts.
The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) has looked at how fracking might affect water.
Groundwater Contamination Risks
Both small and large-scale fracking "involve storing and injecting large amounts of chemicals." So, any spill on the surface "has the potential to get into groundwater." It is rare for small and large-scale fracking to contaminate groundwater from surface spills of stored chemicals. However, the risk and consequences are moderate. To lower this risk, the Environment Agency requires well pads that are proof against chemicals and fluids.
The 2012 joint Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering report said that the distances between drinking water supplies and the fractured rock layers in the US are large. This means the risk of pollution is very small. No cases of pollution this way have been found.
Another 2013 paper pointed out the chance of gas leaks from abandoned wells at the surface.
Water Differences: UK vs. US
In the UK, treated tap water is normal, and rules require high standards. So, by law, water companies would have to remove any pollution. Private water wells are rare in the UK. Only about 2.6% of households have them. In rural areas of the US, private wells are common (15%). Small communities are served by private companies or community plans. So, UK households would likely be less at risk than those in the US.
In the US, methane levels were not measured at the start of the shale gas boom. This made it hard to prove if a gas problem was from a leaking well or was natural.
How Much Water is Used?
Water use is controlled by agencies like the EA (England) and the SEPA (Scotland). They make sure environmental needs are not harmed. Water companies check how much water is available before giving it to fracking operators. The total amount of water taken nationally is about 9.4 billion cubic meters. In 2015, the EA said that water use for fracking, at its highest level, would be 0.1% of national use. Fracking might use up to "30 million liters (7.9 million gallons) per well." Drier areas, like south-east England, are worried about how fracking might affect water supplies.
Earthquakes and Fracking
As of August 2016, there have been two cases in the United Kingdom where fracking caused small earthquakes strong enough to be felt by people. Both happened in Lancashire (magnitudes 2.3 and 1.5).
In December 2015, the Centre for Research into Earth Energy Systems (CeREES) at Durham University published the first study of its kind. This was done before "planned shale gas and oil exploration." Its goal was to find a starting point for human-caused seismic events in the UK.
In October 2018, more earthquakes were recorded in Lancashire. These included two tremors of 0.8 magnitude. This caused the energy company Cuadrilla to temporarily stop drilling.
Public Health and Fracking
If local planning authorities decide that public health will be greatly affected, they talk to the Director of Public Health. This is so a "health impact assessment" can be prepared. The Environment Agency then uses this assessment when looking at "potential health effects" during their "permit determination."
In 2014, Public Health England looked at information on air quality, radon gas, natural radioactive materials, water pollution, and wastewater. They concluded that the risks to public health from fracking emissions are low. This is true if operations are run and regulated properly. Dr. John Harrison, from Public Health England, said: "Where possible risks have been found in other countries, the reported problems are usually due to mistakes in how operations are run. Good management on site and proper rules for all parts of drilling, gas capture, and the use and storage of fracking fluid are essential to keep risks to the environment and health very low."
In 2015, the health charity Medact published a paper. It was written by two public health experts. The paper looked at health effects of fracking. It suggested a temporary ban until a more detailed health and environmental study could be done.
In 2016, Medact released an updated public health report. It talked about health risks from shale gas development. It asked the government to "give up its shale gas plans."
The Fracking Debate
Hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking' as it is often called, is a big topic for local councils and communities. It has become part of the Climate Change discussion.
People who are against fracking say there are many problems. These include pressure on local transport, air and water pollution, the amount of water used, and possible economic harm to farming, food production, and tourism.
People who support fracking say the "fracking industry" "could bring a boost to jobs and the economy." They also say that "shale gas has a key role to play in the region's future success." They believe it "would help bring the important investment needed to keep existing industries and create new ones."
See also
- Unconventional (oil & gas) reservoir
- Cost of electricity by source
- Oil and gas industry in the United Kingdom
- Refracktion, an environmental organisation
