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Oil Discovery

On 9 Apr 2015 at 10:11am Historian wrote:

No point in worrying about another runway at Gatwick now, Crawley is going to be the new Dallas ! The country is going to be rich again ! Just like the last time ??? Buy property there NOW !

On 9 Apr 2015 at 12:17pm Greaser wrote:

OIL be seeing you, in all the old familiar places . . . . ,

On 9 Apr 2015 at 12:32pm Nodding Donkey wrote:

Having driven past a number of the sites in and around Dorset/Poole harbour, and in other parts of UK, the impact on the environment is relatively minor, far less than large scale fracking or oil shale extraction...
At least it will cut UK's reliance on oil imports for a while...
Bring it on...

On 9 Apr 2015 at 1:11pm Not fracking likely. wrote:

There is no fuel like an old fuel.most of it will be impossible to extract and the rest will have to be fracked no matter what the PR gonks of the oil companies say.the price of oil is at an all time low due to over exploitation of fracked oil in the States.Wells are closing everyday over there.Renewables are the way forward.Do you really think that the good people of the Weald will let their quality of life be destroyed by an oil boom?Dream on petrol head.

On 9 Apr 2015 at 2:07pm Fairmeadow wrote:

So shall we be seeing nodding donkeys all over the green parts of Gatwick?

On 9 Apr 2015 at 2:45pm Nodding Donkey wrote:

Sorry Not Fracking Likely, why do you assume I am a petrol head? And, to be nit-picking, for your info, fossil fuels are not, in themselves, destroying the planet. However, I agree that mankind's continued over-reliance on burning them may well be harmful to the environment, and that once consumed they cannot be repalced (for a few million years anyway).
So, so long as the Weald oil is used as part of an integrated energy policy where long term drive for sustainability are balanced against the fact that (at present at least) renewables cannot possibly satisfy this country's continuing demand for energy, then I have no major problem with the oil being extracted, so long as it is done in a responsible manner, and that it benefits the UK as a whole and not just the fat-cat oil moguls.
Renewables are far from being as "clean" and environmentally friendly as they are portrayed by those that promote them as our saviours - the limited natural resources (metal ores, resins and plastics (oil derived of course), precious metals etc) used to build all those gleaming white GRP wind-turbines, and acres of shiny photo-voltaic panels etc, are all produced at horrendous environmental cost themselves, even if the power they subsequently go on to generate is "near CO2 free" at point of generation.
We are seeing private transport becoming ever more energy efficient due to taxation policies, but we still need more investment in greener public transport that actually takes people where they want to go, but need yet more investment in encouraging us all to live more "energy-efficient" lifestyles (turning off lights in empty rooms, and/or walking to the school/corner shop rather than driving would be a good start for many Lewes households!), but it is naiive to think the UK can survive on renewable energy alone anytime soon.
So, rather than continue to import so much oil/gas from elsewhere, effectively leaving oursleves to be held to ransom by other States, then the fact that we appear to have discovered a new oil field under our feet (figuratively speaking)that may produce a significant chunk of the energy we need cannot, and should not, be dismissed by the Green brigade simply because they choose to think wind/wave/solar etc are all we need.
It would be nice to think renewables could supply all our energy needs in the next few years, but the hard truth is that they will not - not now, nor in the forseeable future.
Fairmeadow - placing my brothers on so-called 'brownfield sites' (wherever possible) is a sensible idea, far better than placing them in unspoilt countryside or productive farmland, but I very much doubt placing ranks of us alongside busy runways would be acceptable on safety grounds. However, siting them on existing industrial estates/sites, or on disused military bases etc sounds good to me.

On 9 Apr 2015 at 4:38pm Nodding Plodding Newman wrote:

Go away Newman.You are as ill informed on this subject as on just about everything else you offer your opinions on.Pathetic.

On 9 Apr 2015 at 5:46pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:

The oil extraction on the Isle of Purbeck is so unobtrusive that Mr C-T didn't even realise there was any, despite having travelled extensively in the area.
I don't have a problem with it.

On 9 Apr 2015 at 5:54pm S wrote:

One result of the continued oil extraction around the isle of Purbeck is that the (privately run) Swanage railway can now run steam train trips to and from the main system via Wareham.

On 9 Apr 2015 at 9:23pm Mavis wrote:

Looks like it's going to happen then.

On 9 Apr 2015 at 11:40pm smed wrote:

Been very little in the election about what we need to do about our emissions. Paris conference coming up and we have to say how much we will reduce. Even the greens don't seem to be talking about it they seem more fixated on their social policies. Perhaps they think it might frighten the horses.

On 10 Apr 2015 at 10:00am Nodding Donkey wrote:

Sorry to disappoint you "Nodding Plodding Newman", but I (Nodding Donkey) am NOT Paul Newman. I doubt you will believe me, but that's the truth. I'm just a local with a balanced view of what UK needs to do regarding energy policy in the near future.
Yes, I'd love to live in a world where we didn't produce emissions, and didn't consume fossil fuels at the current rate, but m scientif and engineering background tells me that in the real world it just isn't going to happen in the short term, hence UK needs to become more self-sufficient rather than buy so much of its energy sources elsewhere.
FYI I also support more new nuclear power stations too, but also increased investment in cauture and use of renewable energy too, for exactly the same reasons. I have no idea what Mr Newman thinks on those two topics... best ask him rather than me...