Anti-fracking protesters halt Sussex shale gas operation

[dipsydoodle]

Anti-fracking protesters have halted a controversial shale gas operation in the home counties, chaining arms to prevent the arrival of essential drill parts.

The energy giant Cuadrilla was stopped early on Thursday morning from bringing equipment on to the rural site near the village of Balcombe.

A group of around a dozen protesters succeeded in blocking the lorry. They wrapped yellow and black crime scene tape around the equipment and hung on it a banner that read "no more dirty energy".

The action comes a week after the chancellor, George Osborne, announced major tax breaks for companies extracting shale gas. The rate will be lowered to 30% on profits from the controversial operations compared with more than 60% on North Sea oil.

The Balcombe anti-fracking group has been campaigning against the possibility of fracking in the area for well over a year. They fear the pollution from gas flaring, disruption from lorries carrying fracturing liquids through the village and the possible pollution of local water courses.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jul/25/anti-fracking-protesters-sussex-shale

[Champion Jack]

1. Solidarity from the gaslands of WV!

[riverbendviewgal]

2. this needs to be done every where

I watched Gasland 2 last night. It is a must see.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Balcombe oil drilling begins after anti-fracking protests cause delay

Drilling for oil close to the West Sussex village of Balcombe has begun following a week of blockades and protests by anti-fracking activists who fear the possible use of the controversial extraction method could lead to the pollution of water courses.

Cuadrilla, the oil and gas exploration company headed by the former BP boss Lord Browne, said work started at around 11.30am on Friday and drills would penetrate more than 900 metres (3,000ft) into the Sussex shale to test for the availability of oil reserves.

Protesters who have been occupying the entrance to the drill site since last Thursday were distraught at the news and predicted that protests would get "a lot stronger and a lot more fiery".

The drilling will continue for several weeks and the firm has a licence until 28 September. It has not ruled out the possibility of using hydraulic fracturing – the technique known as fracking – to extract oil and gas by forcing liquid into the rock under high pressure and it has submitted an application to extend drilling until the end of March 2014.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/aug/02/balcombe-oil-drilling-begins-fracking-protests

I'm certain the locals will have private tests done on their water supply in the event that fracking is used.