PEFTEC - Abstract

Abstract Information :

Although exploration for oil and gas in the UK began in the late 19th century, subsequent land based activity has been intermittent. The carboniferous shales of the Bowland basin, arguably more in reserves than any other system in the country, is emblematic of the geology of Northern England. These mineral resources were of paramount importance in the development of the industrial revolution in Britain; estimated by the British Geological Survey to hold over 1300 TCF of total original gas in place. The need for an effective baseline and independent environmental impact study is therefore paramount as shale gas and oil exploration, in addition hydraulic fracturing is widely spreading across the regions. Recent studies have highlighted that lack of effective environmental monitoring has led to considerable public concerns and difficulty in differentiating between naturally high baseline concentrations of methane (and other contaminants) and impacts that may be caused by oil and gas wells. This paper thus undertakes a critical assessment of the various activities associated with shale gas exploration and exploitation and how they might affect the existing environmental parameters in the Yorkshire area. Established EIA principles are used to systematically identify the various types of environmental, social and economic impacts of the project with a view to mitigating the negative impacts and sustaining the positive impacts. This is to be achieved using a hybrid environmental management system developed from both the ISO 14001 and EMAS models. The end result is hoped to be a workable and sustainable environmental management plan that would ensure operators in the area secure the needed social license for project success, environmentally benign resource development for energy security, economic empowerment of rural dwellers and improvements to dwindling petroleum revenues to the UK government.