Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to ensure that non-domestic properties used by community groups and clubs can become more energy efficient.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government has a range of policies aimed at improving the energy efficiency of non-domestic properties such as those used by community groups and clubs.
Where the community buildings are owned by the public sector, they are eligible for energy efficiency reduction funding through the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme. The capital pot for England stands at £385 million by the end of 2020/21. This funding, managed by Salix Finance, has delivered over 17,000 projects, significantly improving energy performance in the public sector. There is also the rural community energy fund which supports local communities in developing and designing energy projects locally. These projects can include community and club buildings.
We have also put in place minimum energy efficiency standards in the non-domestic rental sector. The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 require landlords of non-domestic properties to improve their building’s energy performance to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E. We consulted in October 2019 on raising the minimum standard to an EPC B by 2030, where cost effective. This is expected to cover up to 85% of properties in the non-domestic rental sector.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence 300, what the rationale was for the provision to enable an operator to drill to a depth of 4,500 metres.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), in its role as independent regulator for oil and gas, is responsible for issuing Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDLs).
The drilling depth specified in the licence for PEDL 300, issued in September 2016, was stated by INEOS as part of their licence application, and sought to target prospective geological formations which, at that time, were thought to lie at that depth. Various other consents and permissions (such as planning permission, environmental permits, drilling consent, etc) are required before any drilling operations can take place.
In line with the above, INEOS’ application for planning permission at Bramleymoor Lane, Derbyshire, allows for a well to be drilled to an approximate depth of 2,400m, at which INEOS believe the target geological formations are now thought to lie.
The OGA has not at this stage received an application from INEOS for consent to drill the well. At the time of such an application, and subject to other necessary permits, the licensee can seek agreement to reduce the original commitment depth after explaining their geotechnical rationale.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what information his Department holds on when in hydraulic fracturing operations the operator knows which type of water treatment and disposal facilities will be needed for the (a) treatment and (b) disposal of the waste water.
Answered by Claire Perry
As part of the environmental permit application, and before any hydraulic fracturing can take place, operators must submit a waste management plan to the Environment Agency for approval. This describes the processes and the types of extractive waste that will be generated at the site. The plan must set out how the operator will manage, minimise, reuse, recycle and dispose safely of the extractive waste, and how they will monitor the extractive waste.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the potential volume of waste water from hydraulic fracturing operations in the event that the industry develops as proposed in the government's energy policy. Choose one
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK shale gas industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much shale gas it will be possible to technologically and commercially extract from UK shale reserves. In order to determine the potential of the industry and the benefits it could bring the UK, we need exploration to go ahead and Government encourages this. Further exploration will be needed to determine the amount of waste water which would be created by future shale gas development.
Future treatment capacity, cost and its expansion is a matter for the shale gas and waste water industries. Both businesses proposing to explore for oil and gas using hydraulic fracturing, and operators carrying out treatment of any wastes generated, require environmental permits from the Environment Agency, which are subject to a detailed site-specific assessment. The permits set legally binding conditions on how activities are carried out so that the local environment is protected.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the potential number of waste water facilities that will be needed to (a) treat and (b) dispose of waste water generated from hydraulic fracturing operations in the event that the industry develops as proposed in the Government's energy policy.
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK shale gas industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much shale gas it will be possible to technologically and commercially extract from UK shale reserves. In order to determine the potential of the industry and the benefits it could bring the UK, we need exploration to go ahead and Government encourages this.
Further exploration will be needed to determine the amount of waste water facilities which would be required for future shale gas development.
Future treatment capacity is a matter for the shale gas and waste water industries. Under the Environmental Permitting Regulations shale gas operators are required to check the capacity of appropriate waste disposal facilities. If operators cannot demonstrate an appropriate disposal route to the Environment Agency during the environmental permitting process it is likely to refuse their application.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the potential amount of (a) waste water sludge, (b) sand and (c) filter cake produced from (i) hydraulic fracturing operations and (ii) associated water treatment in the event that the industry develops as proposed in the Government's energy policy.
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK shale gas industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much shale gas it will be possible to technologically and commercially extract from UK shale reserves. In order to determine the potential of the industry and the benefits it could bring the UK, we need exploration to go ahead and Government encourages this. Further exploration will be needed to determine the amount of waste water sludge, sand and filter cake which would be created by future shale gas development. Future waste water treatment capacity and its expansion to meet hydraulic fracturing needs is a matter for the industry.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the number of landfill sites needed to dispose of (a) waste water sludge, (b) sand and (c) filter cake produced from (i) hydraulic fracturing operations and (ii) associated water treatment in the event that the industry develops as proposed in the Government's energy policy.
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK shale gas industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much shale gas it will be possible to technologically and commercially extract from UK shale reserves. In order to determine the potential of the industry and the benefits it could bring the UK, we need exploration to go ahead, and Government encourages this. Further exploration will be needed to determine the number of landfill sites required to dispose of waste water sludge, sand and filter cake which would be created by future shale gas development. Future waste treatment capacity and its expansion to meet hydraulic fracturing needs is a matter for the industry.
Under Environmental Permitting Regulations, shale gas operators are required to check the capacity of appropriate waste disposal facilities. If operators cannot demonstrate an appropriate disposal route to the Environment Agency during the environmental permitting process, it is likely to refuse their application.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of universal waste water treatments sites that are (a) capable and (b) permitted to treat all variations of waste water content generated from hydraulic fracturing operations.
Answered by Claire Perry
There are five sites in England with the necessary permits to treat all variations of waste water content generated from hydraulic fracturing. In addition, there are other sites around the country which, subject to obtaining the relevant permits, could accept and treat waste water from hydraulic fracturing.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the scope is of the Oil and Gas Authority’s scientific analysis of the data gathered during the shale gas operations and Preston New Road; what data will be included in the Authority's analysis; and whether the conclusions of that analysis will be accompanied by recommendations for future regulation of the UK shale gas industry.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
As part of their normal responsibilities as one of the independent regulators of the shale gas industry, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) is carrying out a scientific analysis of the data gathered during the operations at Preston New Road. It is not a review of the traffic light system.
The OGA will work with recognised and independent geologists and scientists with expertise in hydraulic fracturing operations to assess the data and will provide updates on the progress of this analysis on their website as appropriate.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many times the Oil and Gas Authority has carried out scientific analysis of data from UK oil and gas operations in each of the last five years; and from which sites that data was taken.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
While not primarily a scientific body, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) frequently undertakes some level of scientific analysis, drawing on external data as well as internal data, and external and internal expertise. Recent examples include: