Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 4 A well site during a single hydraulic fracturing operation.
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percentage of the value of the gas produced. This has resulted in the
landowners acquiring considerable personal wealth from the development
of shale gas wells. The population density in the areas of production is often
very low, so few people are affected by the issues associated with the
development of the exploration and production wells.
In the UK the situation is entirely different. The mineral rights in most of
the UK are owned by the state and, as such, while landowners can get money
for the disruption and loss of crops, the value the landowners receive is
small compared with the US. A large proportion of areas where shale gas is
likely to occur are close to centres of population and therefore the potential
impact on the community is greater. The initial development of the sites
often involves considerable heavy vehicle movements which impacts on the
local users of roads that are rural in nature and which were not designed for
the number and size of the vehicles involved. The resulting noise and dust is
likely to affect local residents as the exploratory well is constructed.
