As 30% owner of UK fracker Cuadrilla, and with a seat in the heart of government, Lord John Browne is the UK’s fracking Czar. Indeed, John Browne is an extraordinarily powerful man. Notorious for his involvement in raising student tuition … Continue reading
Wood- and other biomass burning might not come to most people’s mind when thinking about extreme energy, such as fracking, methane hydrate mining, tar sands and other innovations in destroying nature and the atmosphere faster than ever. Biomass, after all, … Continue reading
Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) is a general technology, like for instance explosives, that can be used in many ways. In fact prior to the advent of hydraulic fracturing explosives were sometimes used to fracture oil wells (e.g. a string of sticks … Continue reading
To decide who drills where in the UK, the Department of Energy and Climate Change is divided into a network of blocks. Initial block licenses last for six years – enough time, according to DECC, for the developer to get … Continue reading
Across the Cuadrilla group it’s notable that two directors of the parent company, Cuadrilla Resouce Holdings, also appear as directors of Cuadrilla’s subsidiary companies. This would indicate they are the senior managers responsible for operations on the ground. These directors … Continue reading
In Cuadrilla’s February submission to parliament, the company points out it’s fracking fluids are found in nappies, glass cleaner, salt, and bleach. Even salad cream gets a mention. Reading the submission you’d imagine the company simply nips down to the … Continue reading
Like many medium-sized companies, Cuadrilla is a network of companies owned by a parent. The parent is the most important bit: this ‘holding company’ is Cuadrilla Resource Holdings Ltd (CRH). CRH owns nine further UK companies, and seven in Europe … Continue reading
The Elswick-1 gas well was completed and stimulated by Independent Energy in 1993. The gas field, which was commissioned in 1996, produces gas from a low permeability sandstone reservoir at a depth of around 4000 ft and is used to … Continue reading
