August 12: Why fracking is not business as usual

JOHN Dewar’s article in support of fracking in Ryedale (The Yorkshire Post, August 3) was disingenuous and factually incorrect on a number of counts, including his claim that the test frack is shorter in duration because the KM8 well has already been drilled.

A deep well such as this 
for shale gas normally takes about 100 days of 24-hour drilling.

If laterals are also drilled, that of course extends the drilling time. Local residents were disturbed by the drilling of KM8, even if they did not make a formal complaint I can assure you they were.

Mr Dewar fails to mention that fracking for shale gas production is not business as usual. In fact, he implies there is no difference. Shale gas wells fail quickly (unlike conventional gas) and this is why numerous wells 
have to be drilled and existing wells frequently require refracking.

This is why Mr Dewar stated before Parliament in March that he will require 10, 20 and up to 50 wells on each concrete site. Imagine how many days and nights of drilling this entails, not to mention the millions of gallons of water, tonnes of chemicals and hundreds of HGVs.

Incidentally, the amount of clean drinking water Third Energy will be using in this small test frack is the amount of water that the entire population of Malton and Norton would use in two days

No, Mr Dewar, it would not be business as usual.

From: June Smith, Pottergate, Helmsley.

MR Dewar may have been a “good neighbour” in Kirby Misperton for the past 20 years, but in his article he has not made the distinction between the conventional well he is now drilling and fracking – which is a completely different ball game.

He fails to mention that he has only been operating in Ryedale since 2011 and that Third Energy is not a local company but is 97 per cent owned by Barclays Bank, based overseas. Also we do not import gas from Russia.

He also fails to mention that after the initial frack, he plans to industrialise Ryedale.

We do not need fracking, we do not want fracking.

We are an island with wind and wave power and the money that is being wasted on the potential to frack in this country would be better spent on producing cleaner energy for the future.

From: Gary Hush, Appleton Le Moors.

I READ with interest the recent article by John Dewar. The fact that strict regulation of an established method of gas extraction has caused no significant environmental issues in the past is no reassurance that future fracking will be safe.

In the US fracking has led to contamination of drinking water; although not widespread, any is too much.

True, some of the chemicals used in fracking are found in household products but that does not make them safe.

I would not be allowed to pour battery acid down the drain so why should Third Energy be allowed to pump it under pressure into the ground to fracture rocks?

I am glad he thinks the people who live and work in the area are able to judge their application in an informed manner.

When we have, and then tell them to go away as we don’t see that the risks outweigh the benefits, will they listen?

From: Penny Fidler, North Grove Court, Wetherby.

ANYONE who has looked at the substantial evidence from Australia and the US where fracking has been let loose on the countryside will know that all the claims being made by the companies who wish to exploit this method of providing energy are misleading, if not downright lies.

It is something to be ashamed of that in 2015 the UK is still considering such a controversial industry to start up when investment in environmentally friendly sources of energy are the obvious and only way to go.

It is a shame and an insult to the people of this country to write such drivel when even the companies themselves admit that it will not have an effect on the cost of energy and providing dirty jobs in dirty industries should be a thing of the past.

Wake up and shake up. The world is moving on.

From: Mary Elliott, Bridlington.

JOHN Dewar, you are not an impartial expert on fracking as you are the operations manager for Third Energy.

For every point you put forward to promote fracking, there is a counterpoint which shows how dangerous it is.

My main point for objecting to fracking is that there is absolutely no need for it. Fossil fuels should stay in the ground.

This country and all countries need to use renewable capabilities to the max to avoid catastrophic climate change and protect our planet.

Your company wants to frack for profit. You cannot be trusted to put people and the environment before profit. Please pack up and go away.

Is it county or country?

From: David Swallow, Leeds.

I SEE a recent reference by news correspondent Phil Booth to God’s Own County. Elsewhere Yorkshire is sometimes referred to as God’s Own Country. Can someone advise me which is correct? I am also intrigued to know when these terms were introduced, by whom and what is the justification.