observer Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 In the face of rising energy prices and the issue of our future energy security; it would appear, in principle, that the fracking issue is a no brainer. Providing there is strict safety regulation and enforcement, it would seem the concerns of objectors can be dealt with. However, listening to the comments of "the experts", other concerns are appearing on the radar. Will shale gas actually reduce our energy bills, as in the US? One experts thinks not, as "the companies" seek to sell it abroad for higher profits; we already have "Total" moving in where Napoleon failed and seeking to exploit our gas, which they can't do in France. So it seems that before they even start drilling, this private sector led venture isn't going to deliver what we all want; cheap energy self sufficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 They will probably use the profits to build more wind farms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 The most important thing that has to happen is that the government acknowledges that fracking will only buy the UK time to find a viable alternative to the gas & oil which will one day run out & which is presently holding consumers to ransom due to high prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 It has all the signs of a possible fiasco, in which the tax/energy payer will see no ultimate benefit. Don't know whether the politicians can see that far, or just choose to ignore it; but it's clear that the only way we can secure energy independence for the UK is to nationalise the industry asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Drove past the Barton Moss site today. Loads of swampys all claiming that they are protesting in my name and loads of police vans full of coppers on the bridge over the motorway.... no wonder these things cost so bloody much in this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Yep I saw it from the motorway last week and thought it looked a bit frackish but didn't really know until it was on telly. I'm all for the democratic rights of people to be able to protest but from what I've seen it looks more like obstruction than protest. And in any case, I thought the general consensus was in favor of fracking? They're certainly not speaking for me! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Providing adequate engineering safety oversight and regulation, I can't see a problem. My suspicions are about the future cost benefit to the Country: Will it mean cheaper energy bills? Will it allow us to secure energy self sufficiency? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 I'm pretty sure Britain will have the highest priced fracked gas in the world ...the government will see to that , dearer gas more VAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Wasn't most of the north sea oil sold off to foreign companies and possibly the same with our power stations and wind farms? I don't pretend to understand the economics of foreign investment in these matters but the fact that large companies are fighting for the rights to get at the stuff, makes it appear that it's more in their interests rather than that of the country as a whole. I'm not a great fan of nationalization of businesses but when it comes to the countries natural resources it does make absolute sense. Bill 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 I seem to remember it being said North Sea oil was too high grade to be used as fuel . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stallard12 Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Fracking is the way of the future, the US is now almost energy independant and would be completely so if not for foot dragging by the ' green' administration. Gas is now back down to just over a couple of bucks a gallon from the four dollars of two years ago. However, I wouldn't hold my breath in the UK. I was one of the people who, on the discovery of huge oil reserves in the North Sea, spent a happy year dreaming about cheap heating and cheap petrol. A year later the government trickled out the news that the North Sea oil would not be available in Britain, it was all to be sold on the open market. The bubble was burst and life for the petrochemical consuming public didn't change a lick. Maybe it supported the NHS, which proves another point, there's no such thing as free anything where the government is concerned. North Sea is high quality and perfect for gasolene production. Heating oil is a byproduct of the gasolene refining process regardless of the quality of the original crude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 Listened to a "hard talk" interview with the Energy Secretary on the news: he couldn't or wouldn't promise that "fracking" will bring down our energy bills; so it's looking like yet another con trick on the British public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted January 21, 2014 Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 There is no incentive for any government to reduce prices on anything that is subject to VAT ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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