21 Bloomsbury
Street
London WC1B 3HF
Richard Parker
By email to:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Our ref: FOI-2018-0077
20 December 2018
Dear Mr Parker
Thank you for your email of 24 November in which you requested:
“Dear OGA FOI requests,
I have also recently received a reply to a FOI to the Environment Agency titled 'Fracture Growth at PNR' , their reference 181029/OB01.
One section of their reply is detailed below:- "
Q. Please advise as to whether there is evidence to suggest that the fracking fluid has impregnated further into the geology, particularly on
the faults/seismic discontinuities labelled SD4, SD5 and SD6 in the hydraulic fracture plan.
A. The pattern of microseismic (MSM) event locations gives evidence that the fractures or minor fault reactivations have not extended as
far as the Permit Boundary. The OGA has compared the position of the larger TLS events with the position of possible faults, acknowledged
in the HFP as ‘seismic discontinuities’ SD4, 5 and 6. If you would like further
information on this please contact the OGA.
"
Please could you provide this information.
Yours sincerely,
richard parker.”
We have considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(
FOIA) and, where relevant, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004
(EIR).
The answers to your other questions are being provided under a separate cover as
they were made under General Correspondence.
The specific information you have requested is part of the well completion report and
will be published in the future, in accordance with the relevant model clauses of the
licence. The company has 30 days from the end of hydraulic fracturing operations to
submit the hydraulic fracturing operations report and the well completion report to the
Oil and Gas Authority is a limited company registered in England and Wales with registered number 09666504 and VAT registered number 249433979. Our registered
office is at 21 Bloomsbury Street, London, United Kingdom, WC1B 3HF. For information about how we process data and monitor communications please see our Privacy
Statement and for terms of use please see our Terms and Conditions, both available on our website.
OGA, after which the OGA is able to release them after a period of six [6] further
months.
Section 22 (1) FOIA (future publication) and Regulation 12(4)(d) EIR (Material in
the course of completion)
As such, this information is being withheld under (i) Section 22 of the FOIA and (ii)
Regulation 12(4)(d) EIR. This exemption/exception provide that information is
exempt from disclosure if it is (i) planned to be published at a future date, and/or (ii)
is material in the course of completion,
Public Interest
The OGA intends to make this completed information available on its website once it
has all been received from Cuadrilla at the end of hydraulic fracturing operations.
The OGA considers that it is in the public interest not to make the information
available prior to that date, to provide for the analysis of the information to be
finalised in a closed user group in order to ensure that scientific rigour is maintained.
This concludes the OGA’s handling of your request.
Appeals Procedure
If you are unhappy with the way the OGA has handled your request, you may
request an internal review. A request for an internal review should be made within 40
working days of the date of receipt of the response to your request and should be
addressed to: FOI Manager, Oil and Gas Authority, 21 Bloomsbury Street, London,
WC1B 3HF Email: xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx
Please quote the reference number above in any future communications with regard
to this request.
If you are unhappy with the outcome of the internal review, you may contact the
Information Commissioner at www.ico.org.uk or at Information Commissioner’s
Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer.
Oil and Gas Authority is a limited company registered in England and Wales with registered number 09666504 and VAT registered number 249433979. Our registered
office is at 21 Bloomsbury Street, London, United Kingdom, WC1B 3HF. For information about how we process data and monitor communications please see our Privacy
Statement and for terms of use please see our Terms and Conditions, both available on our website.