Forum Topic

How hazardous is fracking?

Would fracking on an industrial/commercial scale be dangerous environmentally and socialy? It seems there are oceans of oil and other hyrocarbons beneath the British Isles and energy prices are escalating out of all proportions - therefore, we should increase the exploration of precious hydrocarbons in the UK before we have an energy crisis and being too dependant on oil/gas from foreign sources. What do you think about fracking in Britain?

Gerry Tan ● 4346d16 Comments

"We have a sustainable energy policy."If only we did. We have only a few weeks of energy reserves and are totally at 'the mercy' of imported energy to meet anything other than our quiescent demand.'Policy' is a shambles and has been for decades, else we would be far further down the line with a higher blend of renewables as part of a sustainable policy.

Nigel Brooks ● 4335d

I may be wrong but fracking only seems to be happening/planned in England. Therefor fourth most densely populated country in the world. As the saying goes...don't defecate (or smash the bedrock) in your own backyard. We have a sustainable energy policy. The existing nuclear plants are being re-fitted for use until the next generation are constructed.

Steven Diver ● 4335d

>Fracking should be used before we can get the long term solution of energy from renewable sources.Ha ha haa!>BUT only if the price of the energy is going to come down for the general public and it is not used to make more profit for the energy companies!HA HA HAAAAAAAA HA HA HA HAAAAAA!:D

Paul James ● 4344d

I think we should be fracking as a short term solution before we can get the long term solution of energy from renewable sources.BUT only if the price of the energy is going to come down for the general public and it is not used to make more profit for the energy companies!

Dave James ● 4344d

Which is why fracking should be used until we develop a long-term sustainable energy policy.As it is only crystalline or pourous bedrocks that are suitable for fracking to exclude it on the grounds that we have a "porous bedrock" is to exclude it completely or is that your 'agenda'.BTW, to take the UK as a whole, it is, in fact, the 51st not the 4th most densely populated country.

Nigel Brooks ● 4344d

It seems obvious to me that since we have such a soft and porous bedrock that fracking is silly. Lest we forget England is the fourth most densely populated country in the world. We have such obvious and limitless supplies of costal tide/wind energy that wasting money on smashing up the very foundation of this country is pointless. And before someone points out that "the wind doesn't always blow" there are green versions of energy storage never mind batteries.

Steven Diver ● 4344d

As I posted at the start of the thread Paul"Just do it!If we listened to every objection from the ecomentalists we would still be living in caves."So, yes, I am in favour; with the caveat that it is done while also developing a long-term renewables strategy.

Nigel Brooks ● 4345d

I'm not getting you Nigel. Should we frak in the uk or not?

Paul James ● 4345d

That didn't happen with our oil reserves we burnt in the 80s and 90s, what makes you think it could happen with the shale gas?Because we are a whole lot wiser know and energy conservation has a 'profile' which simply didn't exist when we were being profligate with a limited resource.Fracking has to co-exist alongside significant investment is renewables. If it provides 'breathing space' while this happens then wonderful.

Nigel Brooks ● 4345d

My fear is that, like the US, we will see fracking as a panacea which obviates the need to actually find a long-term solution. Ecomentalist!No, pragmatist who has worked with enough American organisations to know that short-termism is endemic in their 'society' and that the short-term fix is always the favoured solution.

Nigel Brooks ● 4345d

>My fear is that, like the US, we will see fracking as a panacea which obviates the need to actually find a long-term solution. Ecomentalist!

Paul James ● 4345d

That didn't happen with our oil reserves we burnt in the 80s and 90s, what makes you think it could happen with the shale gas?

Paul James ● 4345d

There is a massive energy deficit caused by a growing demand worldwide for energy and constant pontificating over the need to seriously invest in renewables. Until that gap is closed by actually putting the investment into new sources then fracking is an ideal solution.My fear is that, like the US, we will see fracking as a panacea which obviates the need to actually find a long-term solution. In the meantime, if there is an alternative which can deliver such short-term benefits I do not know of it. Like many I have reduced my energy consumption (actually measured it at 28% down over the last five years) but I do worry that we are dependent for much of our energy on unstable states and regimes. Fracking could give us energy self-sufficiency adequate enough to take the time to build a renewable energy infrastructure.

Nigel Brooks ● 4345d

They've gone fracking mad in Texas.Now many towns have no water left (you need a LOT of water to frack), and any water reserves they do have are full of chemicals (you need a lot of those too).It's a finite resource, what's the point in just using up, you're only delaying the inevitable that one day, we're going to have to find a better way.The "lets burn all the fossil fuels" lot are the sort of people who would rock up on a desert island and chop down all the trees for a nice fire on the first night and have nothing left of the second.

Paul James ● 4345d

I don't know about fracking, seems to me you can heat your house from the gas that comes out in the water supply in some areas of fracking in the US of A. Whether that is a plus or not I am not sure.

Peter Mcleod ● 4346d

Just do it!If we listened to every objection from the ecomentalists we would still be living in caves.

Nigel Brooks ● 4346d