What the controversial decision to allow fracking in North Yorshire might mean

North Yorkshire county councillors voted 7-4 on Monday to allow Third Energy to begin fracking using an existing two-mile-deep well - known as KM8 - near the village.

It is the first fracking application to be approved in the UK since 2011, when tests on the Fylde coast, in Lancashire, were found to have been the probable cause of minor earthquakes in the area.

Since then, two high-profile applications to frack in Lancashire have been rejected by councillors and are now the subject of appeals.

The North Yorkshire decision prompted dismay from campaigners opposed to fracking, amid fears it could open the floodgates for more applications, both locally and nationally.

The KM8 site near Kirby Misperton where fracking has been approved

But what is fracking? What are the potential risks associated with it? Why is the government in favour? And what will happen next here in North Yorkshire?

Here, we try to answer some of these questions...

What is fracking?

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process in which a mix of water, sand and chemicals is pumped deep underground at high pressure to fracture shale rock. If this rock layer has the right properties, when fractured it releases methane gas, which is captured and pumped back up out of the earth.

In the case of the KM8 well at Kirby Misperton, the rock layer Third Energy will be fracking is part of the Bowland Shale, which stretches across northern England. Fracking will take place at depths of between 7,000 and 10,000 feet.

Why are campaigners concerned?

Fracking has been mired in controversy since it hit the headlines in 2011 for causing two minor earthquakes in Lancashire, prompting a temporary ban on fracking in the UK. The ban was later lifted, with controls put in place to prevent tremors. But opponents argue the practice can also cause water contamination, noise and traffic pollution. Environmentalists further warn that pursuing new sources of gas - a fossil fuel - is not compatible with efforts to tackle climate change, and that the focus should be on developing cleaner sources of energy such as renewables.

One of the key issues with fracking is that the water mix pumped deep into rocks during the fracking process then has to be taken out and disposed of. The resulting liquid is known as “flowback”. It is controversial as it can contain fluids and potentially toxic minerals released from the fractured rock.

A fracking exploration site - though not the one in North Yorkshire

Third Energy says the flowback water from KM8 will flow into a fully contained system and be stored above ground in double skinned steel tanks before being taken by specialist road tanker to a treatment facility.

Proponents of fracking insist that there will be very strict regulations in place throughout to monitor what happens during fracking. “The UK has an extremely tight and competent regulatory regime which means that shale gas extraction must be carried out safely and responsibly. We can demonstrate clearly how this can be managed,” says INEOS, a rival energy company to Third Energy which holds many fracking licences in North Yorkshire though it has yet to applying for permission to frack.

Thirsk and Malton’s Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake says there has already been widespread monitoring of air quality, water quality and seismic activity in Ryedale, involving both the British Geological Survey and the Natural Environment Research Council.

Why is the government keen on fracking?

Ministers believe the experience of the US, where shale gas has been widely exploited, shows it could boost tax revenues, create jobs, reduce reliance on energy imports and bring down household fuel bills, although experts have questioned whether it would have any impact on energy prices.

The government sees gas as key to future energy supplies as it bids to phase out the most polluting electricity source, coal, by 2025, and has said it is going “all out for shale”, with tax breaks and community payments to get the industry going.

Opponents claim there is little evidence that fracking will create jobs locally or boost local economies, however. York Central’s Labour MP Rachael Maskell says she had discussions with INEOS, who told her that if they did frack locally, there would be a ‘minimal’ number of local jobs.

What will happen next?

THIRD Energy says there is still “lots of work to do” to discharge environmental and planning conditions before it can begin test-fracking. So it will be ‘many months’ yet before work begins at the well, says chief executive Rasik Valand.

“We have conditions from both the planning authority and the Environment Agency to discharge,” he said. “There are other consents and notifications required prior to receiving final consent from the Secretary of State.”

Rasik Valand, CEO of Third Energy

Once it does go ahead, the aim of the test frack will be to establish whether fracking at the KM8 mine will be commercially viable. This will involve seeing if gas can be made to flow from the shale during test fracking, and if so how much.

Third Energy has applied to frack in five separate zones at the KM8 well. The well was drilled in 2013 as an extension to the original KMA site, which has been in operation for more than 20 years, the company says.

No new drilling will be needed, but a small rig will be brought onto the site temporarily to conduct the initial hydraulic fracturing. This should take about five hours at each of the five zones, the company says. There will initially be a two week preparation period, and the actual fracturing process should take a total of six weeks at all five zones. The temporary rig will then be removed, and pumping and mixing equipment, storage tanks and pipework will be installed, to test the gas flow and send it by pipeline to the Knapton Generating Station.

“If the fracs (sic) and well test generate generate enough gas flow, the well will go into production,” the company says. Production could last for up to nine years.

Is there a chance of a legal challenge?

Communities don’t have the right to appeal against planning decisions, says Friends of the Earth. So a Judicial Review is the only possible way of challenging the decision. Both campaign group Frack Free Ryedale and Friends of the Earth are considering this. Such a review would be able to look only at whether North Yorkshire County Council correctly applied planning law when it came to its decision - not at the substance of the decision itself.

“It is too soon to make any decision on whether there are grounds for a legal challenge,” said Di Keal of Frack Free Ryedale. “However, it should be noted that we were astonished that every single one of the material considerations raised by the Frack Free Ryedale team was brushed aside.

Anti-fracking protesters demonstrate outside county hall

“We note that the Ryedale District Council, town councils and 15 parish councils - including all those near the well-site - objected to this application, yet their concerns were (also) simply brushed aside.”

Will the decision open the floodgates?

Rasik Valand, Third Energy’s chief executive, insists he doesn’t look upon the decision as a precedent for further fracking applications to be approved.

“We are a local company, we see ourselves as a local company. For us, this is about testing what’s in our local area,” he said.

Ken Cronin, chief executive of UK Onshore Oil and gas, however, says the decision was a ‘very important first step’.

INEOS, a rival energy company to Third Energy, has licenses to frack around the UK - including many in North Yorkshire and York. It is analysing historical records from mining operations and other geological data. “We also plan to gather 3D data of the rock formations up to 3-5km beneath the surface to fully understand the geology and rock structure,” a spokesperson said. “This data will be gathered through the second half of this year and into 2017.

“If the analysis shows that the area is viable INEOS will apply for planning permission to drill core samples from a relatively small number of sites. Throughout we will continue to communicate and consult with those communities living and working close to this activity.”

Di Keal of Frack Free Ryedale says the fracking industry is touting the Kirby Misperton decision as ‘firing the starting gun’ on fracking.

“But I’m not so sure,” she says. “Firstly, KM8 is an existing well-site in an area with an established conventional gas industry. The application was for only one vertical well and was clearly meant to give the company a ‘foot in the door’. However, this does not mean application for multiple wells on greenfield sites will automatically get approved. In fact, once councils start to see the impact a multi-well commercial fracking site would have on the community, they are highly likely to refuse the applications.” Time will tell.

What can you do if you’re opposed to fracking?

Frack Free Ryedale says it has been inundated with support following the decision. The group doubled in size in 48 hours, Di Keal says. “And many people have donated money to help us fight on. The fight against fracking in the UK is only just beginning.”

Frack Free Ryedale and Friends of the Earth have launched a ‘People’s Declaration’ and are urging people to sign it. “It declares that we do not accept this decision,” Di says. “Over 25,000 people signed in 28 hours.”

To sign the declaration, visit frackfreeryedale.org/peoplesdeclaration