The campaign group Keep Wiltshire Frack Free (KWIFF) expressed satisfaction that the council has supported Councillor Jeff Osborn’s suggestion to look more deeply into the matter of unconventional gas exploitation (more commonly known as ‘fracking’).
The group welcome the intention of the council to get input from all sides of the debate and the matter was discussed at a full council meeting on Tuesday 23rd February where it was decided that the scrutiny management committee would take on the task.
A spokesperson said, “We feel it is really important that everyone, including the council, do some research on coalbed methane and fracking and get an idea of what it is all about.
“Readers can listen to the testimonies of individuals who live with the industry in documentaries such as ‘Voices from the Gasfields’ (available on youtube) and read reports from medics and scientists such as the Medact report ‘Health and fracking’ as well as listening to central government’s point of view.
“We were however very disappointed to hear Councillor Stuart Wheeler describe unconventional gas extraction as ‘not dissimilar’ to conventional oil operations in Hampshire and Dorset. Multiple unconventional gas wells will be required every km or so* to turn a profit, unlike the single sites he mentioned.
“West Wiltshire could potentially see hundreds, maybe thousands of wells drilled. Each well would require numerous HGV movements bringing out massive volumes of waste water contaminated with carcinogenic substances, along with HGVs bringing in water and chemicals for hydraulic fracturing.
“To describe the two methods as ‘not dissimilar’ is completely erroneous. This highlights the level of education that is required if those involved in planning in the onshore oil and gas sector such as Cllr Wheeler can be so far off the mark.
“We hope the scrutiny process does not experience any delays, we have many concerns about coalbed methane extraction and are looking to the council for strong leadership and transparency.”
A petition with over 850 Wiltshire signatures and 88,000 signatures worldwide was presented at the council meeting. Several Wiltshire residents spoke up to raise their concerns about South Western Energy Ltd’s plans to explore for coalbed methane in West Wiltshire. The Bridgend based company who also hold licenses in Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wales have made a ‘firm commitment’ to the Department of Energy and Climate Change to drill in the licence blocks that encompass Warminster and Trowbridge.
More information is available on the website Keepwiltshirefrackfree.org
Contact: frackfreefamilies@outlook.com
Dr Rebecca Martin 07746 730396
*Paragraph 136 Reference ID: 27-136-20140306 ‘The usual spacing of vertical coalbed methane wells is one for every 500 to 1000m, through directional drilling of a number of wells from a single surface location offers one was of reducing the number of surface drill sites and pipelines.’ Planning Practice Guidance Annex A Shale gas, coalbed methane and underground coal gasification.
