Responding to a statement from unconventional gas firm IGas regarding the results from its exploration well at Barton Moss in Salford (1), which focus on shale gas potential, Friends of the Earth’s North West campaigner Helen Rimmer said: “These shale gas results will ring alarm bells in the local community who last winter showed huge opposition to IGas drilling at Barton Moss. Fracking for shale gas is high risk for communities, the environment and the climate and Salford council must listen to the concerns of residents and reject any application to frack.
“The IGas results from Barton Moss show that all along IGas were exploring for shale gas – which requires fracking to extract – despite only having permission for shallower coal bed methane.” (2)
ENDS
For immediate release: Tuesday 4 November
Contact: Helen Rimmer, 07940 006783
Notes
1. “The results of the well are encouraging in respect of the shale potential of the area” – Andrew Austin
2. Responding to a letter from Friends of the Earth raising concerns that IGas were drilling for shale gas rather than coal bed methane for which it had permission, Salford Council claimed in a letter (12 December 2013) that IGas were only testing for coal bed methane at the site and were drilling deeper than the coal measures to calibrate geological data and not for the purposes of shale gas testing: “Igas have advised that they need to drill down some distance beyond the minimum depth of the coal measures. Igas maintain that the greater depth is primarily to calibrate depth of geological formations“
