Plugging and abandonment of the borehole (well) and restoration of the Fracking site at Preese Hall, Fylde

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Planning permission for the variation of condition 2 of planning permission 05/09/0572 to extend the period of time for the restoration of the site to 31 December 2013 was granted on 23rd January 2013 (ref 05/11/0431). Condition 1 to permission 5/11/0431 requires that no works other than those associated with the plugging and abandonment of the borehole (well) and for the restoration of the site shall be carried out on the site and the site shall be restored in accordance with condition 14 of the permission by not later than 31 December 2013. 

Since permission 05/11/0431 was granted, the well has been partially plugged and is being monitored whilst the applicant, considers the further works necessary for its final abandonment.

The proposed time extension would mean that the visual impacts of the site would exist for longer than was previously considered acceptable. However, the proposal to extend the time limits for site restoration until the end of July 2014 is considered to be acceptable given that dry weather is necessary in which to undertake the restoration works including soil spreading. The site is well screened by the adjacent woodland, is remote from any residential properties and has a relatively low visual impact now that the drilling rig and other infrastructure have been removed from the site. The visual impacts arising from the proposed extension of time are therefore considered acceptable. The development is therefore considered acceptable in terms of paragraph 33 of the National Planning Policy Framework Technical Guidance and Policy SP2 of the Fylde Borough Local Plan.

An objection has been received from FoE on behalf of two local action groups raising a number of issues including; the risks of contamination and pollution of ground and surface waters from the escape of fracking fluids and shale gas from the fracked rock and as a consequence of the deformity to the well following the seismic events, the potential for fracking fluids left in the rock to induce further fractures and earth tremors and the quality and duration of the proposed monitoring measures. FoE consider that Environmental Impact Assessment is required in order to allow an understanding of the site conditions and the steps that are required to minimise further pollution and to secure the restoration of the site to a high standard.

The well has already been partially filled with concrete from its base to a depth of around 2000m. This includes the section of the borehole that was perforated as part of the fracking operations and the section that deformed following the subsequent seismic activity. The concreting is designed to prevent, on a permanent basis, the transfer of any gas from the shale via the borehole and would also prevent the migration of any fracking fluids from the well to both the surrounding rock and the surface. Preventing the escape of fracking fluids and fugitive gas emissions is designed to avoid the contamination and pollution of ground and surface waters.

The ground water is currently monitored via four boreholes located at the site. Three of the boreholes would be plugged and abandoned. A single borehole would be left to monitor the groundwater quality and gas concentrations for up to 12 months after the plugging and abandonment of the gas well. The monitoring frequency is and would continue to be conducted on a quarterly basis. Each quarterly visit would incorporate methane emissions monitoring of the atmosphere above the plugged and abandoned well. The applicant has advised that the well abandonment and monitoring would be undertaken in accordance with the regulatory requirements of the HSE and DECC.

The concerns raised by FoE are understood but the plugging and abandonment of the well including the monitoring of the ground water quality and gas concentrations are matters for the Health and Safety Executive, the Department for Energy and Climate Change and the Environment Agency and their respective regulatory regimes. In particular, the plugging and abandonment of the borehole is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive under the Offshore Installations and Wells (Design and Construction etc) Regulations 1996. These Regulations contain provisions relating to well integrity and abandonment as well as the selection of materials. The Regulations apply to all wells drilled under landward licences, the key objectives of which are to prevent the escape of fluids from the well which might result in pollution of freshwater or ground contamination. Under the Regulations, well abandonment techniques must prevent the transfer of fluids created by pressure gradients between different zones. Such transfer is achieved by means of the original borehole casing and the cementing and plugging operations that are undertaken as part of well abandonment.