ANTI-FRACKING campaigners have been accused of ‘scaremongering’ by the company poised to drill for shale gas in Kirby Misperton.
Third Energy are currently carrying out preparatory work at the Habton Road site and has issued a strong rebuttal to accusations from the Frack-Free Ryedale group about its safety record.
Frack-Free Ryedale said this week that a health and safety inspection report, obtained by the group through an FOI request, showed health and safety issues at one of the company’s sites.
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The Health and Safety Executive report, dated April 12, 2017, concerns an inspection of a Third Energy gas well near Pickering - a non-fracking site.
In it, the report authors listed six various health and safety issues, with recommendations on how to deal with each.
One protester said the report raised concerns about Third Energy’s record.
But Third Energy said in a statement: “The recent statement made by Frack Free Ryedale about Third Energy’s Kirby Misperton wellsite is nothing short of scaremongering.
“The Health and Safety Executive documents cited have nothing to do with the Kirby Misperton site nor the hydraulic fracturing operations but follow from an inspection visit to the conventional Pickering wellsite in March 2017 with relation to short-term workover operations.
“The post-visit report highlighted parts of the operation that could be further improved.
“Third Energy has responded to these comments in a formal correspondence and closed out the actions.”
Alan Linn, a newly-appointed director for Third Energy following the retirement of operations director John Dewar, added: “We are very disappointed that for the second time in the space of a week, members of the public who oppose our consented operations have misinterpreted technical information, which we feel has sought to damage our reputation as a fully compliant and safe company.
“In my experience of working in the oil and gas industry for over 30-years, the role of the regulator is to ensure operations remain safe, but also to seek continuous improvements to operations and safety at sites.
“It would be unusual, in my experience, for a regulatory officer to visit an active wellsite and not make comments on areas of the operation to be further improved.
“Third Energy maintains an open-door policy and anyone interested in finding out more about our operations, or seeking an explanation of a technical document can contact us to arrange a meeting or ask for more information about our activities.”
Protests have continued at the Kirby Misperton site this week,