IGas Welcomes DECC Fracking Results
CBM-focused IGas Energy has welcomed a decision by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to tentatively allow the process of hydraulic fracturing to begin again in the UK.
The company says it agrees with the assessment of fracking and shale gas released by the DECC, following a small scale tremor at Cuadrilla Resources' site in Lancashire.
The report, released earlier this week, gave the go-ahead for fracking activity to begin again in the UK following ths suspension of shale activity for several months but urged understanding of all the potential risks associated with the activity.
"If shale gas is to be part of the UK's energy mix we need to have a good understanding of its potential environmental impacts and what can be done to mitigate those impacts," chief scientific advisor at the DECC David MacKay said on Monday.
Today IGas, which has the licence for a potentially massive shale basin at the Ince Marshes, said it agreed with the chief scientific advisor's assessment.
"We support the report's recommendation for 'an effective monitoring system and a traffic light control regime'," the company said in a statement today. "IGas Energy will be responding positively during the consultation period."
The Ince Marshes licence has potential access to at least 4.6 trillion cubic feet of gas, and up to double that, IGas says. However, the company says it will first consult with the community in the area before beginning any activity.
Cuadrilla Resources also welcomed the results of the study earlier this week, saying it was following the experts' recommendations for fracking, having already implemented many of those already.
"We are pleased that the experts have come to a clear conclusion that it is safe to allow us to resume hydraulic fracturing, following the procedures outlined in the review," Chief Executive of Cuadrilla Mark Miller said on Monday. "Many of today’s recommendations were contained in the original expert studies we published in November last year, and our supplementary information sent to DECC in January.
"We have already started to implement a number of the experts’ recommendations in the pursuit of best practice and look forward to the final decision by DECC ministers concerning the resumption of hydraulic fracturing following the six week period for public comment commencing on 17 April."
Related Reading: IGas Energy: Harnessing the UK's CBM Resources