Yearly Archives: 2011

One third of new UK drilling licenses are for gas

Gas is the new black. Of 60 applications to drill onshore in the UK in the latest drilling round, 20 were for gas. Details of recent drilling licenses reveal one third of the applicants applied to drill for Coal Bed Methane, Shale gas and regular gas. To sort through this mess, the UK government divides […]

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How the frack does the oil and gas licensing system work?

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 planning permissions, work out the viability of the area. These Petroleum Exploration and Development Licenses […]

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Cuadrilla`s Three Casings Gambit

Anyone who has been exposed to much of Cuadrilla Resources‘ public relations campaign to persuade people that what they are doing is not very bad is likely to have come across some sort of variant of there might have been a few problems in the US but we use three casings on our wells so […]

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Naked Activists Expose the Bare Faced Cheek of Aviation Biofuels

Naked Activists Expose the Bare Faced Cheek of Aviation Biofuels

Nice bit of Direct Action yesterday, as Plane Stupid Activists stripped naked in Birmingham airport to disrupt the first flight to be powered by biofuels in the UK. Inspiring stuff. Great to see people highlighting the aviation industry’s blatant greenwashing by putting their bodies (quite literally) in the way. In July 2011, commercial airlines received  […]

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Why is a Guildford District Councillor running Cuadrilla’s website?

A look at Cuadrilla’s website reveals several bland documents. An application form for a job at the company, as well as various media and company pdfs. All very innocuous. Looking at the author of these documents, however, reveals a more malign influence: Nick Sutcliffe, Conservative Councillor for Ash South & Tongham Ward, and a member […]

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Cuadrilla – inside the management team

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 are Mark Miller and Dennis Carlton. As well as directors of CRH, Miller and Carlton […]

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When The Vale Says ‘No’, They Mean No.

Good news in Wales last night, as the Vale of Glamorgan council deferred on a planning application for a test well, after 50 protesters rallied outside the meeting. The campaign there ‘The Vale says No’ have been putting a load of pressure on the council – and it seems to be doing the trick… for […]

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Vale council defer fracking gas test drilling decision

Councillors in the Vale of Glamorgan have decided to postpone their decision on whether to allow or refuse gas drilling until a site visit next month.  For the full story check out BBC Wales >>

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