I knew this was potentially happening but didn’t realise it was near Coldharbour.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-23457934

It was all kicking off in sleepy Sussex yesterday;

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10571220.UPDATE__Anti_fracking_campaigners_blockade_Balcombe_roads_in__peaceful__drilling_battle_with_Cuadrilla/

I still have a vivid mental image of the ‘vigilante lollipop people’ stalking the village streets ready to leap out into the traffic at a moments notice.

We are threatened with fracking on the Mendips and many are worried about the affect it will have on the water table and cave systems

Scary stuff
Gasland 2

The Gasland films are basically a load of scaremongering rubbish and in any case refer to fracking rather than traditional drilling which is what is proposed at this location.

Dom Jolly has turned up this morning by the looks of things;

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10572880.Anti_fracking_protestors_dig_in_as_Cuadrilla_drilling_equipment_forced_to_turn_away_from_Balcombe/

It’s also not the first time drilling has been done in sussex, there is a small oilfield at Singleton (hidden in the forest) near Chichester that has been operational and slowly expanding for about 18 years. There are 5 or 6 “nodding donkey” type oil pumps so not quite at a Dallas style Ewing oil level.To be honest you wouldn’t actually know its there until you get right alongside it.

There’s been oil field since WW2. Nobody really noticed.

I went on a school visit to the Dorset oil fields in the late 1970’s.

I suspect that most people concerns are about the fracking issue, not drilling per se.

They believe that the initial drilling is being used as a way of proving that a) there is oil there and b) fracking is the only way to extract it.

It’s ok to destroy the Niger Delta and the Antartic, but not on our doorstep!!!

I suspect that there are people complaining about pollution in those areas too?

I’m *fairly* sure that Greenpeace have been running campaigns.

Therefore if they don’t like they should all stop driving there 4×4’s and walk/cycle everywhere. Oh wait…..

Is the choice between either

Oil extracted in a way that seems designed to cause maximum impact to the immediate environment and with uncertain long term consequences

and

No oil at all

?

I had always thought that most oil was extracted via traditional wells/nodding donkeys/etc and that when done properly this had minimal local environmental impact?

As someone who grew up in the coal fields of Wales in the 70s and 80s a few oil gas plants in Surry is a small price to pay for cheaper energy.

This site at Balcombe saw exploratory drilling back in the 80’s.

Google map link

It’s only a couple of miles from me and TBH I’m not that interested/bothered at the moment. However it is above the River Ouse which is key water source for this part of Sussex. – That might pose problems in future if they do start extraction and if there are genuine contamination issues.

wwaswas – Member

Is the choice between either

Oil extracted in a way that seems designed to cause maximum impact to the immediate environment and with uncertain long term consequences

and

No oil at all

?

globally – we’re not there yet, but we’re getting there.

$100/barrel makes it financially viable to do this:

they’re not pumping oil out of the ground, they’re digging it out. and there is an unbelievable amount of ‘oil’ that we can access like that.

(makes saudi arabia look almost inconsequential)

I had always thought that most oil was extracted via traditional wells/nodding donkeys/etc and that when done properly this had minimal local environmental impact?

and when i were a lad, all this were fields.

(yes, once upon a time, but times are changing)