The recommendation came from a report carried out before the meeting of local councilors on May 20 th that would decide on the application.
Third Energy had applied for the license at the Kirby Misperton well in North Yorkshire, May 2015. The well is located within the UK’s largest shale gas reserve, in the Bowland shale formation. The UK is expected to have enough shale gas trapped below its surface to underpin gas needs for decades, but the method has attracted the ire of environmentalists as it results in damage to local sites.
Objections to Third Energy’s plan include potential adverse impacts to surface and groundwater resources, nature, landscape, air quality and ground vibration. However the report stated that methods to mitigate these effects were satisfactory.
The chief executive of Third Energy, Rasik Valand, said:
"We believe that this thorough report will enable North Yorkshire county council to reach a positive determination on our application ... Third Energy has been drilling wells and producing gas safely and discreetly from this site in Kirby Misperton for over 20 years and we will continue to maintain the same standards in the future "