Ineos Begin Fracking Seismic Survey In East Midlands

Seismic survey crews contracted by fracking company Ineos Upstream from military logistics specialist Arturius International have begun laying cables in fields around Harthill in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The initial survey in the Chesterfield, Mansfield and Worksop areas in scheduled to last 6 months but Ineos plans to roll on surveying large portions of the 1.2 millions acres of its fracking licence areas in Central England over the next few years. The aim of these surveys is to gather data to advance Ineos fracking plans, including selecting fracking sites for test drilling. These surveys need resisting, otherwise Ineos will be allowed to take a significant step towards fracking.

Following the laying out of the geophones to gather the data (which may or may not be wireless), thumper trucks quarter the area bashing the ground as vibration sources. In areas such as woodland, where the thumper trucks cannot go, explosive charges will be buried in the ground to produce the vibrations. Impacts of seismic surveys range from rattling windows and noise pollution to structural damage to buildings and subsurface structures, such as water boreholes, pipes and septic tanks. Unexploded charges left in the ground after the survey can also be a hazard.

With Ineos’s fracking plans calling for 10 shale gas wells per square mile, allowing Ineos to reach fracking production could see anything up 18,000 wells coating its licence areas in Central England. Ineos is unusual amount fracking companies in the UK in being an already large company with significant assets, but even so it will not continue to endlessly throw money at a project that does not appear viable. While the primary purpose of these surveys is to gathering geological data, local communities should see these surveys as a chance to present another kind of data, the social data on how much resistance the company can expect if it continues.

Take Action Now

For guidance on opposing a survey in your area read this useful FAQ. Use these Seismic Survey Flyers for raising awareness about the threat posed by seismic surveys in your area. There is also a Seismic Spotter Sheet that highlights the signs and activity that are associated with a survey being carried out in your area.

An organised community is the best defense against the Fracking industry. Get our step-by-step guides and start planning an effective Anti-Fracking campaign where you live here…

The most significant factor in what happens next is building a community response in your area. If we can be of any assistance, or you want to report suspected activity, please email outreach@frack-off.org or call 07858 614861.