WEE COUNTY environmentalists are cheering after the Scottish Government has decided last week a controversial unconventional gas technology will have no place in the country’s energy mix.


Following last Thursday’s announcement, the government will now block underground coal gasification (UCG) developments “using planning powers” after an independent report highlighted serious environmental concerns.

Environmental concerns


UCG has been in development since the early 20th century around the world and the process produces so called syngas, or synthesis gas, by partially igniting coal seams deep underground, where they cannot be mined using conventional techniques.


During the moratorium on unconventional oil and gas, in place since last year, Professor Campbell Gemmell of the University of Glasgow has undertaken an independent examination of the technology, with ministers concluding it would appear logical “to progress toward a ban”.


The professor cited the UCG industry having a history of incidents of pollution and losses of containment, with the technology presenting a serous issue in reducing Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions without an operational storage method like carbon capture.


While onshore licensing powers are being devolved through the Scotland Act 2016, issuing mining permits is still a merit for the Coal Authority under UK Government.


Having considered the report in detail, minister for business, innovation and energy Paul Wheelhouse announced the Scottish Government cannot support the technology, saying: “In Professor Gemmell’s report he recommends it would be wise to consider an approach to UCG based upon a precautionary presumption against the technology, and that it would appear logical to progress toward a ban.


“I cannot predict what kind of clean energy technologies may be available in the decades to come, but what is certain is that this this resource will still be there.


“As a result of today’s announcement, our ‘Energy Strategy for Scotland’ will set out an energy mix for the future that does not include UCG.”


He has also written to UK Government secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy Greg Clark, kindly asking the Coal Authority issues no further licenses and revokes the ones already existing.

MSPs welcome move


Welcoming the move, local SNP MSP Keith Brown said: “The Scottish Government’s decision to ensure there will be no underground coal gasification undertaken in Scotland will be welcomed by the many constituents who contacted me about the issue over the last couple of years.


“I am also pleased that Paul Wheelhouse, the minister for business, innovation and energy has confirmed he has written to the UK Government requesting that it issues no further UCG licences in Scotland and that existing licences are revoked.


“This is good news for the communities across Scotland where licenses had already been granted by the UK Government.”


Local Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell also welcomed the announcement.


He highlighted the Greens had already called for a ban on all forms of unconventional gas extraction in May 2014, but all other parties voted against it.


He said: “This is excellent news for the people of Kincardine and West Fife who were going to be seriously negatively affected by UCG.


“It’s been a long battle and I congratulate the many community groups and individuals around Scotland and particularly in Kincardine and West Fife who have stood resolutely against UCG.


“It has taken time for Scottish ministers to realise the devastating impact that this dangerous technology would have on the local environment, workers and our potential to develop low-carbon industries.


“It’s essential that the relevant planning guidance is brought to parliament as soon as possible. The minister’s intention is good but actions are what counts.”


He added: “Of course, uncertainty remains for communities across central Scotland as the government’s reports on the separate issue of fracking, which were due this summer, have yet to be published. Let’s hope today’s ruling out of UCG indicates the direction of travel.”

Local group will now concentrate on fracking

A WEE COUNTY environmental group is now channelling its full attention towards fracking, following the Scottish Government’s announcement it will block underground coal gasification.


Local group Clacks Against Unconventional Gas Extraction (CAUGE) is not surprised underground coal gasification (UCG) “has been kicked into touch”, adding the real challenge now is stopping hydraulic fracturing, an unconventional technique of extracting gas from shale rocks commonly known as fracking.


As previously reported in the Advertiser, company Cluff Natural Resources had been planning a UCG project under the Firth of Forth near Kincardine, hoping trials could kick-start what it dubbed “North Sea 2.0” in the long run.


The project could have been a first of its kind in the UK and the firm had originally hoped to start commercial operations by 2020, extracting “syngas” from the around 43 million tonnes of coal suitable for the technology.


But with a government moratorium in place since last year and a number of people from local communities fearing an environmental disaster; the company adopted a cautious approach, saying the flagship project is “likely to be postponed until after such time as the political situation is more certain”.


Welcoming the block on UCG, a joint statement from CAUGE members said: “UCG was not going to happen after Westminster abandoned the carbon capture investment post referendum, and has been kicked into touch worldwide, even in Australia after the catastrophe in Queensland.


“The real challenge facing us now is stopping fracking going ahead,especially now Westminster has [overruled] local council decisions in Lancashire.

"Watch out for INEOS appearing on your TV screens. They still have these licences and intend to use them.
“Jim Ratcliffe has also been taking over large gas fields in the North Sea, approved by Westminster, as in the ‘national interest’.


“If the SNP are serious about independence they need to show a progressive and radical ethos within the current limited powers and this has to include an outright banning of fracking and its associated industries.


“While Wheelhouse’s announcement is to be welcomed, we now await a clear policy of no fracking or other methods of underground gas extraction in Scotland.”


The local campaign group formed two years ago next month, when around 150 concerned local residents met in Alloa’s Bowmar Centre and heard about the potentially negative health and environmental impacts of unconventional techniques.


The Advertiser understands members are mostly concerned about shale gas company INEOS, which holds licenses in the Central Belt.

Opportunity lost

AN opportunity for the local area and Scotland has been lost, says the company behind plans to extract gas by partially igniting coal seams under the Firth of Forth.


A statement from Cluff Natural Resources, which was planning an underground coal gasification (UCG) project near Kincardine, said: “Being an innovator and world leader in any particular field requires some amount of judged acceptance of risk and it is obviously disappointing that the Scottish Government has decided not to trust its own regulators and world class engineering and scientific talent to develop a UCG industry under the rigorous scrutiny of a fit for purpose regulatory regime.


“We have no doubt that UCG will be developed elsewhere in the world and the opportunity for Scotland to benefit from first mover advantage will have been lost.”


The company added it will continue focusing on its “exciting portfolio of conventional oil and gas opportunities”.