Firm wants to set up gas rigs
THE company behind plans to carry out a controversial gas extraction process near Keynsham says it will press ahead with its scheme without carrying out test drilling first.
UK Methane Ltd has withdrawn a planning application to Bath & North East Somerset Council to carry out testing at Hicks Gate, close to the A4 between Keynsham and Stockwood to see if it is suitable for extracting gas from underground shale beds.
The company will instead apply for permission for gas production on the site, as the process of applying for permission for a test would take up too much time.
Shale gas extraction is controversial due to the use of a process known as "fracking", where fluids are pumped underground at high pressure to fracture rocks to release trapped gas for extraction as fuel.
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It has been blamed for pollution of water supplies in the United States, where it is widely used.
In a letter to B&NES withdrawing the test application, UK Methane director Gerwyn Llewellyn Williams said the planning process was so demanding it now skip the test drilling consent stage.
The letter said: "The level of information that is being requested is far higher than that for any other previous planning application that we have been involved with in other parts of the country; we feel therefore, for the extra amount of work that is involved, that we will apply for a full production permission.
"Central government has carried out enough work to prove that shale gas production is safe and has recently lifted the moratorium on fracking."
Hundreds of people have signed a petition against the proposals put together by the firm, which has its UK headquarters in Bridgend, South Wales.
Fracking had been put on hold in the UK after earth tremors were linked to a scheme in Lancashire. But a temporary ban has been lifted by the Government following a review.
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