PLANS for natural gas production and water re-injection in Ryedale will go before the North York Moors National Park Authority’s planning committee tomorrow.

The application, submitted last year by Third Energy and Moorland Energy Limited, was deferred at a committee meeting in March, but a decision will be made on the application, which has been submitted to both the park authority and North Yorkshire County Council.

The plans, at an existing borehole at the company’s Ebberston Moor South well-site, also includes provision for a second well for potential gas production, water production and disposal.

This would include the creation of a 13.9km steel underground pipe to help transport the gas that is produced from Ebberston Moor to Third Energy’s Knapton Generating Station.

Members of Frack Free Ryedale met at the last meeting for the application and protested outside the National Park offices in Helmsley over concerns regarding water re-injection.

Chris Redston, of the group, said that the group plans to do the same this time.

He said: “While we realise that this is not an application to frack, we feel it is necessary to oppose this application.

“The company is hoping to use a new technique of re-injecting waste water into a different strata to that which produces the gas – a strata that already contains its own natural quantity of water.

“This water will contain NORMs (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials), hydrocarbons and heavy metals brought up from the ground, as well as chemicals added by the drilling companies.

“This is the first time this would be attempted in the UK, and we do not believe that the North York Moors should be used as a guinea pig for this untried and untested technique.”