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Departmentof Energy &Climate ChangeDepartmentfor BusinessInnovation & Skills

Tacca Mi int MP TheRt HonMichael FallenMPI essa IVIUHI IVIr Minister ofStateHouse of CommonsM A iA A A A Department of Energy & Climate ChangeSW1AOAA 3 Whitehall Place,LondonSW1A2AW

www.qov.uk

Our ref: MC2013/07695/BLYour ref: TM/SM/Thomas/17042013

\ y 2013Thank you for your letter dated 17 April to Edward Davey, on behalf of your constituent,regarding shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing (fracking). I am replying as thismatter falls within my portfolio. Your constituent asks nine specific questions and I willdeal with each one in turn.1. With regard to the funding and resource of water and drainage authorities, if watercompanies were to receive flowback fluids through the sewerage system they wouldnormally put in place a trade effluent consent between the water company and the shalegas operator which would set appropriate conditions for discharging the fluids into thesewer. Through the trade effluent consent the company would then charge the shalegas extractor for conveying and treating the effluent.2. As far as upgrading roads to respond to additional vehicle movements is concerned,this would be a matter for the planning authority, working in conjunction with the localhighways authority. Any application for planning permission for oil and gas exploration,production or development (conventional or unconventional) would need to includedetails of the anticipated vehicle movements associated with the project. The planningauthority and operator should ensure that any increases in vehicle traffic do not haveunacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment or human health.3. Your constituent raises concerns about potential risks to water supplies and groundwater. In England and Wales, regulation and monitoring is carried out by theEnvironment Agency. The Groundwater Daughter Directive provides the framework for

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the con trol of the release of substances into groundwater. Substances found to behazardous under the directive must be prevented from entering groundwater whilstsubstances found to be non-hazardous m ay be allowed to enter groundwater but theymust not cause pollution and must not be released directly into groundwater.The regulator w ill not authorise the use of hazardous substances for any activity,including hydraulic fracturing operations w here they would be likely to entergroundwater. Non-hazardous substances may be used, subject to their appropriate usebut the regulator may restrict or prohibit the use of any substances where they wouldpose an environmental risk. The Environment Agency has considered all of thechemicals proposed by Cuadrilla Resources for use in their operations in Lancashireand determined them to be non-hazardous and safe for use in hydraulic fracturingoperations at the sites in question.4. On public acceptability, through the new Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil, wewant to m ake sure communities are engaged in the process and can benefit from anydevelopment of resources in their area. We will be bringing forward proposals for howcommunities can benefit in the summer.5. Your constituent also asks how many suitably qualified independent experts thereare in the UK. The Health & Safety Executive advise that, from their experience acrossall offshore and onshore oil and gas operations, there are currently sufficientindependent well examiners to review the proposed and actual well operations toconfirm they m eet the we ll operators' policies and procedures, comply with relevantregulations and follow good industry practice. No specific information is kept oncompanies providing or offering such services, but as with other aspects of theregulatory framework applicable to such operations, consideration will be given, as andwhen the level of activity changes significantly, to potential skill shortages.6. In relation to liaison with water supply companies regarding the impact of frack ing, ifand where fracking w aste waters are discharged into a watercourse this would besubject to the conditions in a permit from the Environment Agency, which are designedto ensure the appropriate protection of the river. This would also take account of anyuse downstream. There may well be liaison between the Environment Agency and thewater company where an operator makes a proposal to discharge to sewer; there willcertainly be liaison where the permit needs to be reviewed because of such adischarge. Water companies would not accept a discharge that could jeopardise theirdrinking water abstractions or those of any other water company. There is active liaisonbetween the Environment Agency and the water companies in areas where there areshale gas proposals and the Agency is also involved in an UKWIR project that isreviewing risks that shale gas activities may present to water company operations.7. There is no evidence from US experience, where many thousands of wells havebeen fracked , of any threat from fracking to residential properties, no r any other reasonto think that it might pose any material threat. However, wherever oil and gas drilling orproduction operations are proposed, the relevant planning authority will among othermatters consider the proximity of the proposed site to any residential property, indeciding whether the proposals are acceptable in planning terms. As with all otherindustrial activities, there are no prescribed distances or separations established for thispurpose, and each case will be considered on its particular circumstances.

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8. Your constituent also asks about site specific inspections of groundwater. TheEnvironment Agency expects operators to provide a thorough assessment of risks togroundwater or surface water, which specialists at the Agency then examine carefully.Where information provided is not sufficient the operator is requested to provide more.Any permit needed will not be provided unless it is clear that the risks have beenidentified and can be mitigated.9. With regard to the Royal Society recommendations, the Environment Agency hasundertaken detailed baseline assessments of water quality in aquifers in con junctionwith the British Geological Survey and also maintains a comprehensive groundwatermonitoring network. As recommended by the Royal Academy of Engineering and theRoyal Society, EA are working currently with the BGS to provide further baseline detailon groundwater in areas that may have potential for unconventional gas exploration,with a final report expected in March 2014.Icanassureyou andyour,constituent that the Government^ taking a carefulandpragmatic approach to unconventional gas and oil exploration and fracking in the UKand will continue to do so to ensure that the environment will be properly protected.

The Rt Hon Michael Fallen MP