staged, page-15

Oh dear. Better do it step by step.

1) Frac the well using 37 tonnes of CO2. CO2 is an odourless, colourless non-flammable (due to its state of oxidation, no further oxidation (burning) is possible) gas.

2) A mixture of well gas and frac CO2 (the well gas contains CO2 too) flows to the surface. The concentration of frac gas is highest at the start of the flow.

3) Eventually the mix of gas, CO2 and well gas, becomes such that combustion is possible, and the flare is lit.

4) As the proportion of frac CO2 in the mixture falls over time (as the frac gas is not being replaced, but the flow rate of the well gas needn't increase) the flare gets bigger.

5) The flare could be getting bigger because the flow rate is increasing, but there is no reason to assume this in the light of a complete lack of information from the company.

6) The company obviously thinks that its shareholders are all as thick as two short planks because they will be confused by technical information; or

7) The company doesn't want to release the technical information because its investors are not thick and may draw the correct conclusions.