Nitrogen lift approved

The Environment Agency has given fracking firm Cuadrilla permission to use a "nitrogen lift" during well testing at its Blackpool site.The agency has approved changes to Cuadrilla’s environmental permit at Preston New Road, Little Plumpton.The permit variation allows a process known as a nitrogen lift to take place for a limited number of days during the next phase of well testing operations. This short-term activity during the exploratory phase uses nitrogen to assist with the removal of fluids in the well. This is a safe and commonly practiced technique in the oil and gas industry. The decision follows rigorous technical assessment and modelling of the impact to the environment and people, and review of the comments submitted during a public consultation. John Neville, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Cumbria and Lancashire, said: “After completing a thorough assessment of Cuadrilla’s application and fully considering all of the responses to our public consultation, we are confident that the environmental permit sets the right conditions to ensure that people and the environment are protected. “The regulatory controls covered by the original permit provide a high level of protection for people and the environment. The changes we have agreed also meet these strict requirements so that the period of venting gas will be limited and the flaring of gas is controlled. “Our inspectors will enforce the conditions of the permit to ensure that operations are carried out in line with the controls set out in the permit and the gas management plan.”