Fracking:

[Tony S]

Fracking:

An idea to kick around and I don’t want it to develop in to a political rant (hint Apprentice).

Fracking for shale gas is a proven technology. What is there to stop the same technology being used to extract coal in the form of slurry? Using flocculants 70% of solids in the carrier liquid is possible.

Most of the UK’s high quality coal seams are now sealed off due to collapse. The seams are well documented regarding topography and quality. Using fracking technology a coal seam could be followed extracting high calorific low ash coal.

I can’t see anything to stop the extraction of the millions of tons of back gold we’re sitting on.

 

[Blue Duck]

Fracking:

An idea to kick around and I don’t want it to develop in to a political rant (hint Apprentice).

Fracking for shale gas is a proven technology. What is there to stop the same technology being used to extract coal in the form of slurry? Using flocculants 70% of solids in the carrier liquid is possible.

Most of the UK’s high quality coal seams are now sealed off due to collapse. The seams are well documented regarding topography and quality. Using fracking technology a coal seam could be followed extracting high calorific low ash coal.

I can’t see anything to stop the extraction of the millions of tons of back gold we’re sitting on.

 

[Sharpend]

Wasn't there reports recently from America where the fracking had 

been done that the local water had been contaminated and was now flammable?

 

[binky]

the early days of fracking certainly did cuase problems, like all new things do. However, I do believe these issues have now been overcome and so should not cuase issues here.

My main concern with fracking is the injection of chemicals with the water to extract the gas, we don't really know what the long term effect of these will be. Pumping chemicals into our water table just seems a bad idea, even if it is deep below ground and not likely to affect surface water, you have to wonder what happens over decades / hundreds of years. I've not read-up on these chemicals, so this may be a red-herring on my part, but, but apart from that I think some fracking should be allowed to secure our energy needs.

Fracking coal, don't think that would work as it's basically solid, so you would have to dissolve the coal first to pump it out. Now the chemicals to do that would probably be quite nasty.

 

[Tony S]

Coal wouldn’t have to be dissolved but fragmented so it can be pumped as slurry.

 

[binky]

how would you fragment it?

 

[apprentice87]

What is wrong with simply digging it up??

I will tell you another BIG difference between here and America. In america, if it is under your land, you get quite a high percentage of the profits. Here, you would not get a bean...

john..

 

[Sharpend]

What is wrong with simply digging it up??

I will tell you another BIG difference between here and America. In america, if it is under your land, you get quite a high percentage of the profits. Here, you would not get a bean...

john..

Are you suggesting. A change in the laws, John, imagine that middle England being richer than the south!! 

 

[apprentice87]

I just think it is a crazy idea, even worse than dumping nuclear waste in the sea..

NOBODY can predict the consequences, anyone that claims they can is full of ****..

john..

 

[steptoe]

I just think it is a crazy idea, even worse than dumping nuclear waste in the sea..

NOBODY can predict the consequences, anyone that claims they can is full of ****..

john..

just you wait, in 2000 years time when life has just about become totally extinct they will have discovered it was the fumes given off by welding that caused everything to wither up and die.....

 

[Tony S]

What is wrong with simply digging it up??

What’s wrong with digging it up? If you mean strip mining the coal is low calorific lignite.

Deep mining produces high calorific anthracite (AKA Welsh steam coal). Ash content is another factor determined by depth.

 

[apprentice87]

Yes, but that is what i mean, the deep mines.. Why cannot that all be brought back?? Ok, it might be expensive, but cheaper that the only viable option, nuclear, and a WHOLE lot safer, [unless perhaps, you are a miner..]

john..

just you wait, in 2000 years time when life has just about become totally extinct they will have discovered it was the fumes given off by welding that caused everything to wither up and die..

Could well happen!!!!

john..

 

[Tony S]

Mines have to be maintained and dewatered to prevent collapse. Unfortunately this didn’t happen, they were just abandoned.

We could sink new shafts away from the deposits in the old workings but that would take many years. At the moment we’re on a knifes edge regarding our energy supply. Something needs to be done, quickly!