fracking Archive

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  New South Wales Government acts on oil and gas concerns - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  The New South Wales government has announced a ban on all coal seam gas development within two kilometres of residential areas and industry clusters, such as horse breeders and wine producers, across the state. What can we learn from it in New Zealand? read more
  February 20, 2013 1:23 pm - 45 Comments
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  Solid Energy’s future is in clean energy - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  There hasn’t been a great deal of good news lately for Solid Energy. What does the future hold? read more
  February 7, 2013 12:25 pm - 163 Comments
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  We need a moratorium on fracking in New Zealand - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  We need a moratorium on fracking in New Zealand. With so many unanswered questions remaining after the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s (PCE) recent interim report it would be irresponsible to allow the looming large expansion of fracking for oil and gas into new regions to go ahead. read more
  December 10, 2012 2:44 pm - 26 Comments
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  Fracking report is a red flag not a green light for new fracking wells - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s interim report on fracking entitled, “Evaluating the environmental impacts of fracking in New Zealand” was tabled today in Parliament. read more
  November 27, 2012 5:43 pm - 55 Comments
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  EU warns against fracking while NZ oil lobbyist has head in the clouds - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Last week three new reports commissioned by the European Union about fracking were released, which voiced strong concerns around fracking for shale gas, the unconventional gas sector and the lack of sufficient regulation in place to deal with the shale gas boom. read more
  September 12, 2012 4:48 pm - 3 Comments
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  Locking the gates to fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Next week renowned Australian environmental campaigner, Drew Hutton is touring NZ talking about the risks of coal seam gas and fracking. read more
  August 17, 2012 1:23 pm - 3 Comments
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  Smith gets it wrong on fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Former Environment Minister Nick Smith has been peddling a pro-fracking article across the country’s newspapers but he can’t even get his facts straight. read more
  August 16, 2012 4:53 pm - 78 Comments
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  Don’t Frack with NZ postcard launched - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  To mark a new phase in our campaign to protect our health and environment, this week we’re launching our Don’t Frack with NZ postcard. read more
  August 1, 2012 9:59 am - 2 Comments
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  Fracking without consents in Waikato - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Last night the Green Party revealed that state-owned coal miner Solid Energy in 2007 used the controversial fracking process in its Waikato coal seam gas operations without a consent. Waikato Regional Council has since said it should have been consented. read more
  July 26, 2012 11:23 am - 2 Comments
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  Fracking earthquakes - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  The New Zealand Government has tried to downplay the risk of human-induced earthquakes but recent international reports show the Government should take a deeper interest. read more
  June 20, 2012 11:14 am - 3 Comments
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  Wellington Regional Council considers fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Today Greater Wellington Regional Council joined the growing list of councils who passed a motion regarding the controversial hydraulic fracturing, or fracking process. Good on, Green Councillor Paul Bruce for putting it on the agenda, arguing his case, and getting it through. read more
  June 13, 2012 9:03 pm - No Comments
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  More fracking good news - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Two positive developments out of the Hawkes Bay this week: Hastings District council has voted unanimously to take a precautionary approach when it comes to fracking, and a whānau has ‘locked their gates’ barring Tag Oil from fracking on their land; resulting in TAG Oil backing away from the proposed exploratory fracking well in the area. read more
  June 8, 2012 2:41 pm - 38 Comments
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  Wellington Regional Council to question fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Green Party Councillor Paul Bruce has put fracking on the Greater Wellington Regional Council’s agenda, and it will be interesting if they will continue the momentum seen in other councils in New Zealand questioning or calling for a halt on fracking. read more
  June 7, 2012 2:52 pm - 6 Comments
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  Gold rush or fools gold? Fracking and the ‘Golden Age of Gas’ - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  This week the International Energy Agency has published a report into the future of gas, with a focus on the controversial fracking method. read more
  June 1, 2012 11:46 am - 8 Comments
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  State owned enterprises shouldn’t be fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Stuff reports that Solid Energy says it has discovered significant coal seam gas reserves in Taranaki, and acknowledges that it could face opposition from environmentalists if the methane gas is extracted using hydraulic fracturing – or fracking. It would be reckless for Solid Energy to commence fracking for coal seam gas given numerous overseas studies which have linked fracking to drinking water contamination, human health problems and earthquakes. read more
  May 31, 2012 1:12 pm - 2 Comments
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  Ireland to also ban fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  More good news. Ireland has announced that no hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” for gas would take place in Ireland pending further “detailed scientific analysis and advice”. read more
  May 14, 2012 7:34 pm - 2 Comments
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  Good news: Germany to oppose fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Der Spiegel, is reporting that Germany is ‘putting the breaks’ on fracking in Germany. This is great news and shows the momentum both in New Zealand and around the world is growing against this controversial practise. read more
  May 9, 2012 5:09 pm - 36 Comments
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  Fracking earthquakes - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  A new report was released this week by the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change which confirmed that two earthquakes in the Blackpool area were caused by fracking. Along with a US Geological Survey report out last week it shows scientifically there is a link between fracking and human-induced earthquakes that should concern seismically-active New Zealand. read more
  April 19, 2012 1:06 pm - 67 Comments
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  Does fracking cause earthquakes? - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Human-induced earthquakes seem more the realm of a comic book baddie or Cold War failed-research programme but international research is increasingly linking fracking with earthquakes. read more
  April 11, 2012 11:15 am - 23 Comments
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  Don’t frack up our health - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Yesterday new research was released by the Colorado School of Public Health in the US linking air pollution from fracking with serious health problems for those who live near wells. read more
  March 22, 2012 4:51 pm - 1 Comment
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  FrackNo petition heads to Parliament - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  FrackNo petitions have been coming in thick and fast recently and it’s been truly heartening to see the level of involvement out there by people who want to see this dangerous practice put to an end. I will be tabling the petition in Parliament in a couple of weeks, so all petitions have to be returned by next Wednesday the 14th. read more
  March 7, 2012 1:17 pm - 7 Comments
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  Stratford public meeting: unanimous support for fracking moratorium from the frontlines - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Last night I attended a public meeting in Stratford, Taranaki to discuss the local hydraulic fracturing or fracking occurring in the region. The community passed a unanimous motion to call on the Taranaki Councils to place an immediate moratorium on fracking, and to call for an independent inquiry into the process and what is occurring in Taranaki. read more
  March 1, 2012 2:25 pm - 3 Comments
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  Labour should join call for immediate moratorium on fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Today Labour renewed its call for an investigation into hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’, and its implications for New Zealand. Considering Labour’s concerns, they should commit to backing the call for an immediate moratorium, the only way we can safeguard our rights to clean water and air and a safe environment read more
  January 25, 2012 11:40 am - 13 Comments
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  Frack No! Sign the Petition - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  A lot of New Zealanders  have not yet heard about hydraulic fracturing (fracking), but many of those who do know something about it are worried, and rightly so! The technique is used to extract ‘unconventional’ oil and gas – that’s industry speak for sources of hydrocarbons that until recently were deemed too expensive or difficult to [...] read more
  September 29, 2011 11:01 am - 16 Comments
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  Gasland – doco about gas drilling - by frog

  
  
  
  I just watched “Gasland” and I highly recommend it. It’s a documentary about natural gas drilling and it’s impacts on the people living nearby. Trailer below. At the end of the trailer a guy ignites the water coming out of his tap! It’s had good reviews from many people: Mark Kermode of BBC Radio 5 [...] read more
  March 2, 2011 7:44 am - 11 Comments