Mining/Fracking - old and new

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  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited December 2015 #32

    As a country we should be exploiting all forms of energy production including Nuclear Coal Oil Solar and Tidal.  

    We have the capability to generate our own without importing foreign raw materials. 

    We have to look after our own citizens first and foremost. The Misguided Global Warming brigade is spoiling this country's ability to be self sufficient.

    K

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited December 2015 #33

    We need a mix of energy supplies. Fraking is new, but once coal minining, wind turbines etc were new. This nonsense about not allowing it in a National Park is just more scare mongering. Im all for it and as someone living in a NatPark, if thats where the
    shale is get going. I bet the majority of those like us who actually live in a Nat Park as fed up with the interfeering outsiders telling us what to do and not do.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited December 2015 #34

    What I find incredible is that imported coal is 'so' much cheaper than UK coal even after the transport costs of moving such a bulky commodity. I'm not sure that mothballing wouldn't have been a better solution and that we've been a bit short-sighted.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #35

    Fracking isn't new it's been in use since the 1940's and we were fracking in the North Sea from the 1970's

  • kenexton
    kenexton Forum Participant Posts: 306
    edited December 2015 #36

    My concern is that with the closure of "Big K" the supporting industries and skills base will vanish forever.Should a decision to reverse current energy policy ever be required( Natiional Emergency/War) our reserves of coal would be difficult/costly to extract
    because the skills and supporting engineering industries will no longer be available in the UK.There has been little consideration given to gasification of reserves underground - something,which I understand is being piloted in Poland.CJ may have a view on
    this as it is within his area of expertise.I fear that the UK Government are again making decisions in the short term for expediency reasons and closing off long term options in the process.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #37

    I think we have people from the UK involved in mining all over the world so the skills could be re-deployed. I think the mining techniques will probably change too as in many other industries. It is sad to see the end of this part of the industrial revolution,
    the steel industry has suffered too, but there will always be new developments. At least we haven't mined out all of our stocks for future generations to use if needed. 

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #38

    My concern is that with the closure of "Big K" the supporting industries and skills base will vanish forever.Should a decision to reverse current energy policy ever be required( Natiional Emergency/War) our reserves of coal would be difficult/costly to extract because the skills and supporting engineering industries will no longer be available in the UK.There has been little consideration given to gasification of reserves underground - something,which I understand is being piloted in Poland.CJ may have a view on this as it is within his area of expertise.I fear that the UK Government are again making decisions in the short term for expediency reasons and closing off long term options in the process.

    Again some misinformation, we have been storing gas underground for years at Hornsea and in the Nortwest of England.  I was responsible in the 1980's for preparing sites for drilling to enable gas cavity storage.  If you drive north of Hornsea on the cost road you will see what we in the industry call Christmas trees in fields alongside the road, by and large that is all you see.

  • ivorwetwun
    ivorwetwun Forum Participant Posts: 59
    edited December 2015 #39

    What I find incredible is that imported coal is 'so' much cheaper than UK coal even after the transport costs of moving such a bulky commodity. I'm not sure that mothballing wouldn't have been a better solution and that we've been a bit short-sighted.

    Write your comments here...I don't think that "mothballing" a mine is as easy as you think. It takes quite a large team to keep a pit ready for action.

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited December 2015 #40

    One, I live above the Gas cavernsSurprisedLaughing

  • ivorwetwun
    ivorwetwun Forum Participant Posts: 59
    edited December 2015 #41

    One, I live above the Gas cavernsSurprisedLaughing

    Write your comments here...are you saying one person can keep a mine ready for action?

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited December 2015 #42

    Nope, I'm telling Oneputt that the Gas storage Caverns within East Yorkshre stretch below my property Ivor.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited December 2015 #43

    Hope you're not a smoker, Rocky. Wink

  • kenexton
    kenexton Forum Participant Posts: 306
    edited December 2015 #44

    I think we have people from the UK involved in mining all over the world so the skills could be re-deployed. I think the mining techniques will probably change too as in many other industries. It is sad to see the end of this part of the industrial revolution,
    the steel industry has suffered too, but there will always be new developments. At least we haven't mined out all of our stocks for future generations to use if needed. 

    Write your comments here...I think you would find your viewpoint would be met with derision in South Yorkshire and Teeside."Sad" is rather an understatement,Brue."New developments"means Retail Parks in current parlance-so consumer debt is the new coal which
    powers the UK economy?Insanity  is a more apt word than sad.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #45

    Strong words Kenexton, we all have different viewpoints. It is sad to see an industry closing down and that's how I feel. By new developments I am talking about energy research that is being done now but will take time to come down the line, please don't
    twist my words.

  • kenexton
    kenexton Forum Participant Posts: 306
    edited December 2015 #46

    Strong words Kenexton, we all have different viewpoints. It is sad to see an industry closing down and that's how I feel. By new developments I am talking about energy research that is being done now but will take time to come down the line, please don't
    twist my words.

    Write your comments here...I have no doubt I shall,please Heaven,begin to be more beforehand with the world,and to live in a perfectly new manner,if-if in short anything turns up:Mr Mickawber.Brue,I wish I shared your half full view of the economic outlook
    but having grown up by the SY coalfield and worked in the area and given the depressed state of the town's and villages around me -I struggle to share your view point.Sorry I this comes across as harsh but there it is...

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,046 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #47

    Ken, you have to live here to understand. A truly sad day for our area, our country and our history. We now own little, make little, grow little, a sad state of affairs. My heart bleeds for all those poor foreign miners, working in appalling conditions,
    at young ages, where life is cheap and safety not a priority.

  • Spriddler
    Spriddler Forum Participant Posts: 646
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    edited December 2015 #48

    To return to the fracking issue I well recall the politicians telling us that with more than 100 yrs worth of North Sea oil and gas our heating, fuel and electricity will cost virtually nothing.

    As they say: If it seems too good to be true.......................... then it must be a politician talking.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #49

    North Sea gas has been producing continually since 1969 and since that time our population has risen by approx 10 million and our energy usage had multiplied out of sight.  We are still producing vast quantities and as technology changes and improves no
    doubt we will continue to produce well into the 2030's

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,303 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #50

    Many renewable, like tidal, have massive environmental and ecosystem wide implications.  If they were easy, effective, reliable they would have been done already!!!

    I have never been entirely sold on the above statement. A barrage across the Severn estuary has been proposed several times over the years and would generate vast quantities of power. Yes there would be implications, the bore would disappear and migrating
    species such as Salmon and elvers would need to be catered for. However, the tide would still come in and out twice a day, just through turbines. Of course such a barrage could be used to limit flooding, as on the Thames, although that too would have ecosystem
    implications.

  • crannman
    crannman Forum Participant Posts: 101
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    edited December 2015 #51

    it would be interesting to see how many MP's lords and ladys have got interests in the fracking companys ? Also how can it be cheaper and more greener to ship coal from all over the world and what happens when the cheap coal goes up in price

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2015 #52

    I can remember when north sea gas was first brought ashore and the gov of the time said that it would be for domestic use only,when all the gas works were closed,and it is now the thing that will give us electricity with more gas fired power stations to
    be built ,to compensate for the run down of all coal fired power stations so coal imports should cease soon?.

     By then we will be beholden to the French and Chinese for nuclear power?so why do we need fracking? 

  • David2115
    David2115 Forum Participant Posts: 547
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    edited December 2015 #53

    How odd that a discussion on issues surrounding the arming of the police is closed because it may be controversial but a discussion on fracking/ coal mining is allowed to continue. 

    im not saying th should be closed but it goes  to show that if a topic is allowed to run it can produce a sensible discussion 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #54

    Hmm well I didn't exactly get a friendly reply to my comments on here and I went to  school in a mining community.

    In the past sadly many of these type of threads have over heated which is why most of us stick to the guidelines.

  • David2115
    David2115 Forum Participant Posts: 547
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    edited December 2015 #55

    Yep that's my point. Why could that not be the same on issue of police firearms. 

    Maybe a thread on fox hunting would be a good discussion 

  • Molly Domino
    Molly Domino Forum Participant Posts: 161
    edited December 2015 #56

    Did say I wouldn't post in this thread again but, Bru i hope you didn't take my posts as unfriendly they weren't meant to be, all I was trying to do was pass on my experiences. If you found them unfriendly I apologise. 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2015 #57

    No apologies needed Molly your responses were polite and not unfriendly, I'm not posting on this thread again either.Smile