What the Frack!

The barbarians have appeared on the horizon in the lovely village of Woodsetts in the shape of INEOS, the company who want to frack the hell out of South Yorkshire.

Gas drillers INEOS have followed up their appalling proposal for a test well in Harthill’s countryside with a second site for test drilling, just down the road from us in Woodsetts. This will only be the beginning as they look to embark on a 5 year rape of our countryside in both locations with a drilling rig the size of Big Ben.

Our local politicians have come running to our aid yet again with local Councillors doing what they always seem to so (f**k all frankly) and our MP Kevin Bas… I mean Barron still picking the splinters out of his arse from sitting on the fence.

The Harthill well has progressed to a full planning proposal whereas the Woodsetts site is still in the very preliminary stages.

The wells are not fracking as such, at least not yet. They are applying for a 5 year visit to drill a vertical shaft about 3000 metres into the earth to recover a core sample of the local geology. They will then use the well for a series of tests to further determine the viability of wholesale gas extraction via the controversial fracking technique.

What can locals expect from the 5 year stay?

1. Lots of extra heavy traffic on the roads, up to 60 lorries per day at busy times.
2. Noise from the 24 hour operation and diesel fumes from lorries and massive on site generators.
3. The charming site of a 60m tall drilling rig, along with cranes.
4. Possible long term ecological damage from an untested and experimental technique.

It’s quite hard to see an upside at the moment, we will be doing a series of articles on how to object to the planning application when it appears. In the meantime please tell your friends and urge your elected representatives to get behind local people for once and oppose this madness.

Both villages have active campaigns (links below) and I would encourage you all to give them every support you can.

Drill or Drop anti-fracking site

Woodsetts Anti Fracking Group

Harthill Against Fracking

The Bas… Sorry I mean INEOS

INEOS leaflet

INEOS on how they will run the site in Woodsetts

 

Fracking Surveys to Begin in Anston?

Anston Parish Council have been approached by a representative of INEOS, a company involved with fracking. The company wish to get local landowners to allow access to their land to allow a 3D seismic survey of the Anston and wider area to determine if the controversial fracking technique can be used to collect gas in the village and surrounding area.

The seismic survey consists of sinking explosive charges into the ground and listening for the return echo after detonation. This allows a surveyor to determine the type and structure of the underlying rock strata.

The agenda for Monday’s APC meeting includes the following:

2) INEOS Proposed seismic surveys at the Playing Fields (Recreation Grounds belong to the Charity) and Butterfield Walk (belongs to the council) – see email from Michael Gazur dated 06.09.16 with attachments.

Money is being offered to landowners who allow access for the surveys with more to come if drilling and production begin under their land.

One local parish councillor Christine Sadler is urging local residents to contact their local councillors and express their opposition to any activity or assistance that will help fracking companies to start operations in our local area.

Frack-Off, a pressure group opposing fracking in the UK, say that seismic surveys can range from “rattling windows and noise pollution to structural damage to buildings and subsurface structures, such as water boreholes, pipes and septic tanks.”

More info as we get it!