Water and energy have always had a close relationship, but shale gas and water are particularly intimate. Water is integral to shale gas drilling and there is a growing market, estimated to be worth up to $100 billion in the United States, for wastewater treatment. Tim Probert explores the opportunities and challenges in Europe. This … Continue reading
To some, shale gas is potentially the best thing energy development in Britain since North Sea oil. To others, shale gas is a potential environmental catastrophe. Will the growing environmental opposition to hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’, stop shale gas in Sussex in its tracks? Tim Probert digs deep. This article was first published in the … Continue reading
An independent report published today by the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) recommends shale gas hydraulic fracturing (fracking) should be immediately halted if seismic activity is recorded of a magnitude (M) of 0.5 or above, far below Cuadrilla Resources’ proposed level of 1.7M. Shale gas developer Cuadrilla Resources, which last September claimed … Continue reading
With the news that E.ON and RWE have pulled out of plans to build new nuclear plants in the UK, here is an article published in the August 2011 edition of The Energy Industry Times. There is a general consensus that new nuclear build has been delayed rather than derailed by the Fukushima crisis in … Continue reading
The UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) places a mandatory requirement on gas-fired power plants to be built ‘carbon capture ready’ so they can be retrofitted at a later stage. Tim Probert speaks to plant developer Intergen, carbon capture OEM Alstom, engineering group Foster Wheeler and the Crown Estate to find what CCR … Continue reading
The British Geological Survey’s (BGS) study to establish levels of methane in groundwater in the UK will not include sites ‘fracked’ by Cuadrilla Resources in Lancashire. These sites operated by Cuadrilla, which last year claimed that a 500 square mile area around Blackpool, Preston and Southport contains enough methane to meet national gas demand for … Continue reading
With legislation increasingly tough on coal-burning plants, many are switching to renewable fuels to ensure longevity. But supply chain issues may prevent some plants from undertaking the conversion process. Tim Probert profiles the UK’s Tilbury power station, a 1960s coal plant which has become the world’s largest biomass plant, and talks to Drax about the … Continue reading
Last night I enjoyed the spectacle of a shale gas public relations car crash in the charming West Sussex village of Balcombe. Last year shale oil and gas firm Cuadrilla Resources obtained a license to commence exploratory drilling at Lower Stumble, 1 mile south of the village. A hardcover surface has been prepared, and a … Continue reading
Rough Guides has published a new book titled The Rough Guide to Community Energy. With financial backing from retailer Marks & Spencer and distribution by energy efficiency pressure group 10:10, the new book is being distributed for free to encourage Britons to launch carbon-cutting and renewable-energy projects in their local communities. The Rough Guide to Community Energy is … Continue reading
Shale gas has been called a game changer in the US but Europe will have a tough job emulating the US’ success, writes Tim Probert. This article first appeared in the December issue of The Energy Industry Times. There is no question that shale gas has been a ‘game-changer’ in the United States. From virtually … Continue reading
