Fracking company IGas to buy Dart Energy - the UK's largest licence, over a million acres!

IGas and Dart have both been hounded by community resistance over the last 6 months, IGas faced over three months of constant delays and closures at their Barton Moss site, Greater Manchester and was only capable of completing work due to £1.6+ million of policing.

Dart especially has been on the back foot, having been driven out of Australia, denied planning for their flagship Scottish operation and now face a permanent resident encampment in Upton, Chester. The only land in England on which they have full-permission to drill, So despite them trying to claim they are not interested in Fracking chester, It's only a matter of time before they try.

The licenses owned by both companies here: http://frack-off.org.uk/extreme-energy-fullscreen

Latest from Upton Community Protection Camp: https://www.facebook.com/UptonProtection?fref=ts

 
Read about Dart's plans for Cheshire, Wrexham and Notts: http://frack-off.org.uk/dart-frack-attack-multi-well-program-in-midlands

New UK fracking licenses: http://frack-off.org.uk/new-uk-fracking-licenses-confirmed

 

Plans for IGas fracking rig in Trafford!

IGas has asked Trafford Council for permission to explore potential reserves of gas thousands of feet beneath Davyhulme, Right next to the Manchester ship canal! 

The plans include the Construction of site for exploration, production testing and extraction of coal bed methane, transmission of gas and generation of electricity including combined heat and power facility, erection of temporary 34m high drilling rig, formation of two exploratory boreholes, installation of wells, erection of portacabins, storage containers and ancillary plant and equipment, creation of a new vehicular access road, and the erection of a 2.4m high perimeter fence.

Planning permission here. 

iGas gets permission to frack in Albert Square, central Manchester!

The facist fracking company iGas, currently packing up its exploratory well at the Barton Moss site, has been given the 'go-ahead' to drill for shale gas in Albert Square, the heart of Manchester City Centre!

Following a secret agreement, signed by Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council and Kate Chappell, Executive Member for the Environment, Fracking company iGas has been given the go-ahead to do everything it likes, up to and including pumping whatever chemicals it thinks it needs to in order to bring shale gas up from deep below the city streets.

Kate Chappell said “We see this merely an extension of the Council’s existing work on geo-thermal energy in Ardwick.  You drill a hole, you get energy, same difference.''!

She later went on to say ''Well, after looking at the projected state of our finances after the next £200m in spending cuts, we decided that the thorough and independent study conducted by iGas‘s in-house technicians was good enough for us. Even if it was written on the back of a fag packet.”!

The real intention: IGas finds shale at Barton Moss fracking site!

Despite iGas's original planning application to drill 2 exploratory boreholes for CBM (coal bed methane) at Barton Moss, there was no intention to test for shale gas. Yet now they say they've struck shale formations after completing exploration on the site. Drilling has now been suspended as samples taken from the drilling will now be analysed over the coming six months before the exploration firm will decide how to proceed. iGas and the council have lied to everytbody about their real intentions, Just as we knew they would.

  

They also said it was in the process of acquiring around 100 square kilometres of 3D seismic data in the north west of the country to determine where else to drill for shale gas. And went on to say ''We are pleased that the drilling has completed on time and on budget, We have worked extensively over the last few months with the various authorities to ensure the safety of everyone on and around site including protestors and neighbours''! 

Barton Moss Anti-Fracking camp appeal set for July 2014!

Some great news for the protectors at Barton Moss Fracking site, The date for the Oral Hearing at the Court of Appeal has been set for ... Wednesday 16th July 2014! The 'Stay of Execution' will remain in force pending the outcome of this hearing! :)

As Ian Crane stated: ''The Camp won't be there in July ... there'll be nothing to evict! This Case applies to the EXISTING CAMP ... any FUTURE CAMP is a completely separate issue!''

This must be a massive thorn in the side to iGas, the GMP and Mr Whittaker. Lol

We demand a public enquiry into the policing at Barton Moss fracking camp

Please sign this petition created by Lindsay Bessell to the Home office (UK). After months of violent assualt for the Greater Manchester Police on Peaceful protesters, Im disgraced that nothing has been done sooner, The Police 'Should' Work for the people, Not greedy fascist corporations.

Sign the petition here.

Click skip in the top corner and you'll be taken to the site.

Salford and Trafford Councils investing in fracking company iGas via the Greater Manchester Pension Fund!

Frack Free Greater Manchester highlighted the fact that Salford and Trafford counsils are investing in fracking company iGas via the Greater Manchester Pension Fund!  Both Councils have granted iGas planning permission to conduct exploratory drilling at different sites.

It might have something to with Peels new investment plans, Port Salford, a freight terminal currently under construction on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in Barton-upon-Irwell, Greater Manchester, UK.  A 153,000-square-metre (1,650,000 sq ft) warehousing facility costing £400 million to construct, It will connect with the new link road and bridge being built from the A57 near the Salford stadium.

Click the picture to see the wiki page 

 Not so coincidentally the new link road and bridge will take you to the Trafford side of the canal right next to the DavyHulme water treatments works. Exactly where iGas and Peel have planned to Frack 2 boreholes for coal bed methane exploration, Creation and use of a temporary access route, ''Restore'' the site and create wells, The transmition of Gas or the generation of electricity including a combined heat and power facility.

Click the picture to see the wiki page

Click to enlarge

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 All of this is part of the Atlantic Gateway project, A development backed by £50 billion of investment over a 50 year period, making it one of the most expensive and expansive development projects in UK history all being led by Peel Ports, a subsidiary of The Peel Group. The plans will involve 'extensive redevelopment' right down the Manchester Ship Canal and will include the Port of Liverpool  Liverpool Waters and Wirral Waters ''developments''.

 In John Whittaker's own Greedy words 

''the most dynamic and economically sustainable region in the UK".

The Greater Manchester Pension Fund investments

 Centrica (Cuadrilla) (£4m)

AGL Energy (Coal Seam Gas Aus) (£4m)
Apache Corp (US fracking) (£1m)
Cliffs Natural Resources (US fracking) (£0.5m)
Devon Energy (US fracking) (£0.5m)
Duke Energy (US fracking) (£0.5m)
Endbridge Energy (US fracking) (£0.5m)
EOG Resources (US fracking) (£1.5m)
Noble Energy (US fracking) (£1.5m)
Schlumberger (US and UK fracking) (£12m)

 

 Total fracking investments: £107.5m

Useful Links: 

FrackOff

Port Salford plans

Atlantic gateway plans 

Planning applications

Click skip in the top corner and you will be taken to the web page.

Concern over inspections performed at the Barton Moss i-Gas Fracking site!

Anti-Fracking Campaigner, Helen Chuntso, made a Freedom of Information request concerning visits and inspections performed at the Barton Moss i-Gas Fracking site in Salford.

For quick reference, here is a list of things NOT inspected by the Environmental Agency on their two Barton Moss visits.

• No equipment checks
• No inspection of emissions other than surface water, (i.e, air, land and groundwater NOT tested)
• No inspection of management on EITHER visit-cf fire explosion safety
• No inspection of monitoring and records, maintenance and reporting including: Monitoring of emission and environment.
• Record of activity, site diary, journal and event, but ”Waste transfer notes and consignment notes were checked”
• Maintenance Records
• Reporting and notification
• Staff Competence

Read the request here.