Abstract
Shale gas is conjectured to potentially improve the UK’s security of natural gas supply’s status by substituting up to half of natural imports by 2035. This paper explores the subsequent demands upon freshwater resources, the process of resource acquisition by operators and the prerequisite procedural of assessment. This is followed by a water management case study of Cuadrilla Resources, the leading shale gas operator in the UK before concluding comments.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
May 2011. The first magnitude 2.3 ML shortly after Cuadrilla’s Preese Hall well in the Bowland Shale was hydraulically fractured. The second, a magnitude of 1.5 ML occurred on 27th May 2011 following renewed hydraulic fracturing of the same well.
- 2.
Shale Gas developments feature in Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (England)) should the site exceed 0.5 ha and therefore it is responsibility of the MPA to screen for significant environmental impact, unless they expect to extract in excess of 500 tonnes/day in which case they feature in Schedule 1 and an EIA is mandatory.
References
Andrews IJ (2013) The Carboniferous Bowland shale gas study: geology and resource estimation. British Geological Society for Department for Energy and Climate Change
Andrews IJ (2014) The Jurassic shales of the Weald Basin: geology and shale oil and shale gas resource estimation. British Geological Society for Department for Energy and Climate Change, London
Broderick J, Wood R, Gilbers P, Sharmina M, Anderson K, Footitt A, Glynn S, Nicholls F (2011) Shale gas: an updated assessment of environmental and climate change impacts, Tyndall Centre, University of Manchester, UK. Available online at: http://www.mace.manchester.ac.uk/media/eps/schoolofmechanicalaerospaceandcivilengineering/newsandevents/news/research/pdfs2011/shale-gas-threat-report.pdf. Last accessed 02/11/17
Brown J, Staddon C, Hayes ET (2014) Water security and shale gas exploration in the UK. Environ Sci Water Secur 23(3):49–55. Available from: http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/25125
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (2012) Future flows and groundwater levels [online]. Available at: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/future-flows-and-groundwater-levels. Accessed 02/11/17
Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (2016) Shale gas and water: an independent review of shale gas extraction in the UK and the implications for the water environment. CIWEM, London. Available at: http://www.ciwem.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Shale-Gas-and-Water-2016.pdf. Last accessed 02/11/17
Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management, (CIWEM) (2013) Shale gas and water. CIWEM, London
Cotton M, Rattle I, Van Alstine J (2014) Shale gas policy in the United Kingdom: an argumentative discourse analysis. Energy Policy [e-journal] 73(0):427–438
Cuadrilla Resources (2014) Environmental statement: Preston New Road. Available online at: https://cuadrillaresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/PNR-ES.pdf. Last accessed 02/11/17
de Pater CJ, Baisch S (2011) Geomechanical study of Bowland Shale Seismicity Cuadrilla
DECC (2015) Shale gas and oil policy statement by DECC and DCLG. Available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shale-gas-and-oil-policy-statement-by-decc-and-dclg/shale-gas-and-oil-policy-statement-by-decc-and-dclg. Last accessed 02/11/17
Delebarre J, Ares E, Smith L (2017) Research briefings: shale gas and fracking. Available at: http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06073/SN06073.pdf. Last accessed 02/11/07
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) (2017) Energy and climate change public attitudes tracker [online]. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/energy-and-climate-change-public-attitudes-tracker-wave-22. Last accessed 02/11/17
Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) (2014) Further changes to statutory consultee arrangements for the planning application process. DCLG, London
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) (2013a) Resources vs reserves: what do estimates of shale gas mean? DECC, London
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) (2013b) Strategic environmental assessment for further onshore oil and gas licensing – environmental report. DECC, London. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/273997/DECC_SEA_Environmental_Report.pdf. Last accessed 02/11/17
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) (2016a) Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) Natural gas: Chapter 4 [on-line]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/natural-gas-chapter-4-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes. Last accessed 02/11/17
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) (2016b) Gas used by industry – supply and consumption of natural gas and colliery methane (DUKES 4.2) [online]. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/natural-gas-chapter-4-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes. Last accessed 02/11/17
Energy Information Administration (EIA) (2015a) Technically recoverable shale oil and shale gas resources: United Kingdom. U.S. Energy Information Administration
Energy Information Administration (EIA) (2015b) Annual energy outlook. EIA, Washington, DC
Environment Agency (2012) The case for change – current and future water availability Report number GEH01111BVEP-E-E
Environment Agency (2013a) Water resources reliability map data
Environment Agency (2013b) An environmental risk assessment for shale gas exploratory operations in England
Environment Agency (2017) Letter from third energy: waste management plan amendment. Available at: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/onshore-oil-and-gas/third-energy-kirby-misperton-information-page/user_uploads/waste-management-plan-letter-9th-oct-2017.pdf. Accessed 02/11/07
Green CA, Styles P, Baptie BJ (2012) Preese Hall shale gas fracturing review & recommendations for induced seismic mitigation. Available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/48330/5055-preese-hall-shale-gas-fracturing-review-and-recomm.pdf. Last accessed 02/11/17
Hardy P (2015) Introduction and overview: the role of shale gas in securing our energy future
Independent (2013) Revealed: fracking industry bosses at heart of coalition. Independent, 13th July 2017 [online]. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/revealed-fracking-industry-bosses-at-heart-of-coalition-8707589.html. Last accessed 02/11/17
Institute of Directors (IoD) (2013) Getting shale gas working [online]. Available at: https://www.iod.com/Portals/0/Badges/PDF's/News%20and%20Campaigns/Infrastructure/Infrastructure%20for%20business%20getting%20shale%20gas%20working%20report.pdf?ver=2016-04-14-101231-553. Last accessed 02/11/17
Johnson EG, Jonson LA (2012) Hydraulic fracture water usage in northeast British Columbia: locations, volumes and trends. British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines
Kargbo DM, Wilhelm RG, Campbell DJ (2010) Natural gas plays in the Marcellus Shale: challenges and potential opportunities. Environ Sci Technol:5679–5684
Mackay DJC, Stone TJ (2013) Potential greenhouse gas emissions associated with shale gas extraction and use. Department for Energy and Climate Change, London
Monaghan AA (2014) The Carboniferous shales of the Midland Valley of Scotland: geology and resource estimation. British Geological Society for Department for Energy and Climate Change, London
National Grid (2016) Future energy scenarios 2016 [on-line]. https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiho92axazXAhVKiRoKHVhqBHQQFgguMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffes.nationalgrid.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw0K4k6y64nW0Yfj5PomxvNM. Last accessed 13/2/18
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2013) Population and migration [online]. Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160106185934/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/compendiums/compendium-of-uk-statistics/population-and-migration/index.html. Last accessed 02/11/17
OFWAT (2016) Supplementary guidance on whether non-household customers in England and Wales are eligible to switch their retailer [online]. Available at: https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/publication/supplementary-guidance-whether-non-household-customers-england-wales-eligible-switch-retailer/. Last accessed 13/2/18
Oil and Gas Authority (2015) New onshore oil and gas licences offered [on-line]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-onshore-oil-and-gas-licences-offered. Accessed 12 Jan 2016
Reig P, Lou T, Proctor J (2014) Global shale gas development: water availability and business risks. World Resources Institute
Rivard C, Lavoie D, Lefebvre R, Séjourné S, Lamontagne C, Duchesne M (2014) An overview of Canadian shale gas production and environmental concerns. Int J Coal Geol [e-journal] 126:64–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.207.12.004. Available through: ScienceDirect http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166516213002711
Royal Academy of Engineering (2012) Shale gas extraction in the UK: a review of hydraulic fracturing. RAE, London
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (2015) Moratorium on unconventional gas developments in Scotland [on-line]. Available at: https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/energy/non-renewable/shale-gas-and-coal-bed-methane/. Accessed 2 Feb 2016
Staddon C, Brown J, Hayes E (2016) Potential environmental impacts of fracking in the UK. Geography 101(Part 2):60–69
The Onshore Energy Services Group (2015) Multi-well pad drilling [online]. Available at: http://oesg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/FAB-Facts-06-Multi-well-pad-drilling.pdf
UK Government (2014) Millions of pounds in business rates will be handed to councils in England which give the green-light to shale gas developments [on-line]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/local-councils-to-receive-millions-in-business-rates-from-shale-gas-developments. Accessed 15/01/2014
United Kingdom Onshore Oil and Gas (UKOOG) (2016a) Water and soil. Available at: http://www.ukoog.org.uk/regulation/water-and-soil. Last accessed 02/11/17
United Kingdom Onshore Oil and Gas (UKOOG) (2016b) Drilling and the hydraulic fracturing (Fracking) process: 4. Production. Available at: http://www.ukoog.org.uk/onshore-extraction/drilling-process. Last accessed 02/11/17
United Kingdom Onshore Oil and Gas (UKOOG) (2017a) Developing shale gas and maintaining the beauty of the British countryside. UKOOG, London
United Kingdom Onshore Oil and Gas (UKOOG) (2017b) Natural gas uses [online]. http://www.ukoog.org.uk/onshore-extraction/uses. Last accessed 02/11/17
United Utilities (2015) Shale gas statement – October 2015 [on-line]. Available at: http://corporate.unitedutilities.com/documents/uu-shale-gas-statement.pdf. Accessed 14 June 2017
Wang Q, Chen X, Jha AN, Rogers H (2014) Natural gas from shale formation – the evolution, evidences and challenges of shale gas revolution in United States. Renew Sustain Energy Rev [e-journal] 30:1–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.207.08.065. Available through: ScienceDirect http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032113006059
WaterUK (2013) Shale gas: water UK to work with UKOOG [on-line]. Available at: http://www.water.org.uk/shale-gas-water-uk-work-ukoog
WaterUK (2014) Water UK response to the DCLG Consultation on statutory consultee arrangements in the planning process.
Whitton J, Brasier K, Charnley-Parry I, Cotton M (2017) Shale gas governance in the United Kingdom and the United States: opportunities for public participation and the implications for social justice. Energy Res Soc Sci 26:11–22
World Bank (2014) Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita [online]. Available at: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ER.H2O.INTR.PC. Last accessed 02/11/17
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Brown, J. (2020). The Assessment and Acquisition of Water Resources for Shale Gas Development in the UK. In: Buono, R., López Gunn, E., McKay, J., Staddon, C. (eds) Regulating Water Security in Unconventional Oil and Gas. Water Security in a New World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18342-4_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18342-4_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-18341-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-18342-4
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)