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8/11/2019 Tony Grayling Presentation 18 06 12(2)
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Regulation of shale gas extraction
in Great Britain
Geological Society briefing
London, 18 June 2012
Tony Grayling, Head of Climate Change and Communities
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Regulatory bodies
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
Environment Agency (England and Wales) (EA)
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Local Authorities (minerals planning) (LA)
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DECC checks with
HSE/EA/SEPA
issues well consent
DECC:online wellapplication for
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Regulation in Great Britain - development
Exploration Well success
Commercial development
EA/SEPAStatutory
Consultee
Local Authority
Planning Permission
DECC checks with
HSE/EA/SEPA ,
issues Field
Development
Consent, setting
production, vent
and flare limits
DECC:Field
Development Plan
HSE
21 day
Notification/
Well integrity
EA/SEPA Notices
Abstraction licences
Discharge & RSR permits
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Shale basins and areas licensed for
petroleum exploration in Great Britain
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Current proposals for shale gas
exploration in England and Wales
Five sites
in Lancashire -
CuadrillaThree sites in
South Wales,
Neath, Maesteg,Llandow - Coastal
Oil and Gas Ltd.
Woodnesborough,
Kent -
Coastal Oil and
Gas Ltd.
Possibly three sites
Mendip Hills:
UK Methane andEden Energy
Balcombe,
W Sussex:
Cuadrilla
Beverley
Rathlin Energy
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Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
The Offshore Installations andWells (Design and Construction,etc) Regulations 1996
Integrity of wells
Independent check
The Borehole Sites andOperations Regulations 1995
21 days notification before
drilling, abandonment or workover
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Clean water
PossibleAquifer
Confining
Layers
Water table
To river
or STW
Gas
emissions toatmosphere
Production
PlatformStorage
tanks
Production
Zone
Environmental risks of shale gas extraction
Contamination of
groundwater due to
mobilization of solutesor methane
Contamination of
groundwater due to
poor well design orfailure
Fugitive
emissions of
methane
Contamination of
soil, surface orgroundwater due
to spills of
chemicals or
return fluids
Inadequatetransport or
treatment of
waste waters
Impact on water
resources from
water used in
hydraulic fracturing
Inadequate
transport or
processing of
produced gas
Inadequate
treatment/disposal
of drill cuttings
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Environmental controls (England and Wales)
Risk Controls
Groundwaterpollution
Water Framework Directive and Groundwater Daughter
Directive through the Water Resources Act andEnvironmental Permitting Regulations (EPR): Regulatedischarges to groundwater, require disclosure of chemicals.
Surface spills Planning regime for site construction standards. EPR
regulates discharges to surface water and groundwater.
Disposal of usedfracking fluid
Mining Waste Directive through EPR: Waste managementplan must be approved by the Environment Agency. EuratomTreaty if naturally occurring radioactive materials, via EPR.
Over abstraction
of water
Abstraction licensing under the Water Resources Act.
Fugitivemethaneemissions
Borehole regulations (HSE) to protect human health.Conditions under Petroleum Licences (DECC) for flaring andventing. Mining Waste Directive may apply.
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Other environmental impacts
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Environment Agency position
Current regulation is adequate for small scaleexploration but keeping under review
Taking a responsible and risk based approach
Undertaking further work to ensure we have all theinformation we need
Working closely with UK and Welsh governmentsand other regulators
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Next steps
Awaiting public comments on review of seismicactivity and DECCs responseUndertaking a detailed environmental assessment, inpartnership with DECC, Defra and other regulators
Reviewing HSEs borehole guidanceReviewing methods for monitoring and controllingfugitive methane emissionsBuilding contacts with environmental protectionagencies in Europe and the US
Examining best practice in environmental regulation inEurope (via EU technical working group)