Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers
also provides for drilling an exploration well and associated construction and engineering works,
including hydraulic fracturing, but these are subject to Planning Permission and other consents from
DETI, HSENI and others.
Applications to undertake construction works, exploration drilling and hydraulic fracturing would be
subject to the full rigour of the Planning system including an Environmental Impact Assessment. Drilling
a borehole is subject to the Borehole Sites and Operations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995:
under these Regulations companies must notify HSENI 21 days in advance of the commencement of
operations and comply with drilling specific and general health and safety regulations. As a statutory
consultee in the planning process HSENI has the opportunity to make recommendations on the
proposed drilling operations, including compliance with internationally accepted standards. Many
elements of the proposed drilling operations would be subject to environmental and other legislation,
and monitoring programmes may be included under these regulatory regimes. DETI can include specific
conditions (e.g. specifications for well design and construction) as part of its well consent. DETI has
the powers to inspect the drilling operations and recover the costs from the Licensee.
During the exploration phase DETI will only issue Consent to Drill approval if the Licensee has
demonstrated that it has already obtained all the other statutory permissions that it requires to carry
out its operations, and it has satisfied the Department that its proposed operations are technically
acceptable and will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment.
If exploration drilling is successful and a company wishes to develop the shale gas resources in its
licence area it would need to submit a development programme for approval by DETI. This development
programme would also require a Planning Application and accompanying Environmental Impact
Statement. The planning process would involve consideration of a range of issues associated with
the proposed development, including ecology, water resources and quality, air quality, the potential
economic benefits, the potential for impacts on other industries, and the effects on the community.
Projected Impact on Tourism from Extracting Shale Gas by Hydraulic Fracturing
Mrs Overend asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what is the projected impact on
tourism from extracting shale gas by hydraulic fracturing.
(AQW 13693/11-15)
Mrs Foster: The integrity of the natural environment is an important factor in the future development
of the tourism sector. Should any company apply to DETI to drill a well for hydraulic fracturing, the
impact on existing industries such as tourism would be fully assessed when considering any planning
application.
Exploration for Extracting Shale Gas by Hydraulic Fracturing
Mrs Overend asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment for an estimated timescale for the
completion of exploration for extracting shale gas by hydraulic fracturing; and to outline the next steps
once the exploration is complete.
(AQW 13694/11-15)
Mrs Foster: The exploration stage of a shale gas development project may last between five and
ten years although this phase would also include an assessment of the commercial viability of the
proposed development through extended gas flow testing and, as such, may be considered the
equivalent of the exploration and appraisal stages of a conventional oil or gas development.
The timescale for the completion of exploration of shale gas resources depends on the availability of
existing information, the timeframe for the exploration work programme included as a Schedule to the
petroleum licence and the time required to obtain the necessary statutory consents and complete the
exploration phase.
Provided the exploration, including the extended testing of gas flow rates, yields favourable results the
next stage is for the company to prepare a development programme for the production phase of the
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