Balcombe shale site full production ‘very unlikely’

Shale gas and oil exploration company Cuadrilla has said that its controversial drilling site at Balcombe is "very unlikely" to go into full production following primary tests in the area.

The shale oil drilling site at Balcombe has been the target of protests from campaigners against the nascent UK energy source.

The drilling, to explore the feasibility of extracting shale oil from the site include the controversial hydraulic fracturing process, which injects water into the ground at high pressures to fracture shale rocks and release oil or gas trapped inside and has attracted protests from organised groups and Balcombe villagers.

A rig 78 feet high was placed at the site to implement a 3,000 foot exploratory well.

Greenpeace Energy Campaigner Leila Deen, said: “The public pressure is clearly getting to Cuadrilla, but Balcombe deserves clarity. If the company is not going to extract shale there, it owes local residents an assurance and should give details of when it will leave the village, where it’s clearly not wanted.

“Cuadrilla has caused a lot of pain in Balcombe for no gain, which is likely to be the experience of fracking across England. At least after the scale of opposition and protest in Balcombe, other communities will feel empowered to fight back.”

This morning 9 protesters arrested at the Balcombe site are to make a first appearance at Crawley Magistrates Court.

A spokesman for Cuadrilla said that the Balcombe site was “very unlikely” to become a full production site and that it was likely that other sites would be able to provide better access and infrastructure.

This morning a poll for national newspaper The Guardian, conducted by ICM, revealed that 4 in 10 people would welcome hydraulic fracturing.