Weald (Sussex/Surrey)

The Weald Basin which mainly encompasses Sussex, Surrey and Kent is mainly threatened by the possibility of tight/shale oil exploitation. The primary formation which could be targeted is the relatively shallow Kimmeridge Clay shale layer, which might be exploitable over most of West Sussex and surrounding areas of East Sussex and Surrey. However, the deeper Lias shale is also a longer term potential target. See Fracking The Weald: The Growing Tight Oil Threat for more details.

For communities living in the Weald, the tight/shale oil threat is similar to that posed by other forms of fracking. All unconventional fossil fuels require much greater amounts of extraction effort, with massively increased environmental and social impacts. Tight/shale oil is trapped within low permeability rocks through which it cannot easily flow, so densely packed horizontal wells & stimulation (e.g. hydraulic fracturing) are required to extract the oil. Tight oil areas like the Bakken & Eagle Ford Shale in the US have been industrialised in a few short years by the drilling of thousands of wells, HGV’s, new pipelines and waste sites.

This threat is uniting communities across the South East to fight for their future. There are sites with activity and new planning applications at: Horse Hill, Leith Hill, Brockham, Markwells Wood, Broadford Bridge & Balcombe.

See Fracking The Weald: The Growing Tight Oil Threat for more details.

If you would like to take action or form a group in your area you can order a pack of guides and publicity, just email: outreach@frack-off.org