Council Calls for Moratorium over Ineos Shale License Area

North Lanarkshire Councillors have called for a moratorium on the unconventional gas extraction to be introduced by Scottish Government in the very area that petrochemicals company Ineos hopes to move forwards exploration and development.

A resolution expressed “ grave concerns regarding unconventional gas extraction and to this end supports a moratorium on the development of this technology throughout North Lanarkshire.”

The British Geological Survey has estimated there are “significant” shale gas deposits in the area covering large parts of North Lanarkshire and Falkirk.

Ineos has secured fracking rights for 729sqkm around Grangemouth and Cumbernauld.  

In October, Ineos bought 80% of a share in a second licence for shale gas exploration and development, PEDL 162, which covers 400sqkm of the Midland Valley in Scotland, from Reach Coal Seam Gas Limited.

Earlier the company announced it had bought a 51% stake in a licence covering 329sqkm around their Grangemouth refinery.