Remsol appointed to government energy group

Lee Petts, managing director at waste and environmental management specialists Remsol, says he is delighted that the company has been appointed to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Unconventional Gas and Oil (APPGUGO).

Remsol was invited to join by the group’s chairman, Dan Byles MP, after the two men met at a shale gas summit in 2012. Lee has since attended a meeting of the APPGUGO at the House of Commons where he met energy secretary Ed Davey who discussed his views on shale gas.

The firm has worked closely with Cuadrilla to find a way of dealing with the wastewater generated in its hydraulic fracturing activities, as it explores for shale gas a mile beneath Lancashire.

Dan Byles, who also sits on the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and is chair of the All-Party Environment Group said: "It is essential to have companies like Remsol involved with the APPGUGO because I want to see a vibrant domestic UK shale gas supply chain develop, and companies like Remsol are at the forefront of developing that supply chain.

“When people think of shale gas, they tend to just focus on the likes of Cuadrilla, but the supply chain and service support is equally important because this is where the maximum benefit to the UK economy will be delivered.

“Remsol is at the vanguard of the fledgling UK domestic shale gas supply chain in Lancashire, and it is important to have local company involvement in the region.

“Specifically, the wastewater issue goes to the heart of some people’s fears, so Remsol is a vital addition to the APPGUGO because they are working for best practice treatment of the returned waters, and we will be using Remsol’s technical expertise to educate parliamentarians around the water treatment issues.”

Shale gas promises to create tens of thousands of jobs and solve Britain’s looming energy shortage, but has its opponents who are concerned about the environmental impact.

Lee said: “Lancashire appears to be sitting on top of a huge amount of natural gas, enough to power the UK for many decades even if only 10% of it can be recovered. The key question now is how much can be technically and commercially recovered, and as yet we don’t know the answer.

“As well as establishing the arrangements for managing wastewater from Cuadrilla’s future exploration activities, we have also helped to apply for the many environmental permits they require to continue their work on the Fylde.”

Lee added: "With this appointment, I hope to be able to influence the way shale gas extraction takes place in the UK, ensuring that it is both safe and beneficial to local communities."

It is expected that Remsol will be taking a lead role in a technical seminar for MPs and Lords on water treatment in the shale gas industry after the Summer recess. See what Dan Byles MP had to say here http://bit.ly/APPGUGO