UKOOG comments on publication of the regulatory roadmap for shale gas
17 December 2013
UKOOG, the representative industry body for onshore oil and gas operators, both conventional and unconventional, notes the publication today of the regulatory roadmap for onshore oil and gas in the UK and also the strategic environmental assessment for consultation by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Ken Cronin, chief executive of UKOOG, commented: “Having the regulatory process written in one place is extremely helpful and underlines the extensive nature of regulation of oil and gas exploration in this country, which is among the most comprehensive in the world. We welcome the opportunity to consult on the Government’s future plans for shale gas and to detail how the UK’s potentially exciting resources of shale gas can be harnessed for the benefit of the country with the minimum of impact on the environment and local communities.
“The Strategic Environmental Assessment gives a broad range of scenarios which show how shale gas can have a positive impact for UK economy through increased employment and direct benefits for the local communities as well as pointing out how shale gas can bring down greenhouse gas emissions. Many of the issues raised in the SEA relating to water usage and wastewater are being addressed through the onshore oil and gas industry’s work with bodies such as Water UK.
“This is an extremely detailed report and we will study it before making our response as part of the Government’s consultation programme.”
About UKOOG:
UKOOG is the representative body for the UK onshore oil and gas industry including exploration, production and storage. The organisation’s objectives are to enhance the profile of the onshore industry, promote better and more open dialogue with key stakeholders, deliver industry-wide initiatives and programmes and to ensure standards in safety, the environment and operations are maintained to the highest possible level. Membership is open to all companies active in the onshore industry including those involved in the supply chain.
History of Onshore Oil and Gas in the UK
The onshore gas and oil industry has been around for a very long time. The first indigenous supply came from the production of oil from shale in 1851 in the Midland Valley of Scotland reaching a peak of 6,000 barrels of oil per day. Wells drilled in 1895 at Heathfield in Sussex, to provide water for a hotel and railway station, also encountered gas becoming the first natural gas well in the UK, with production of 1000 cubic feet per day. Today there have been some 2000 wells drilled in the UK, producing over 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. 10% of existing wells have been hydraulically fractured in the UK with the first some 50 years ago.
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