First shale gas testing application in East Midlands submitted

Public consultation for an energy firm to explore shale gas on land off Springs Road, in Misson, Nottinghamshire, ends on 9 December

The first application to explore for shale gas in the East Midlands has been submitted to a Nottinghamshire council.

Energy firm Island Gas Limited (IGas) wants to carry out test drilling on Springs Road, in Misson, Bassetlaw.

Campaign group Bassetlaw Against Fracking said the drilling operation would be "devastating" for wildlife.

Nottinghamshire County Council said the application did not include proposals for hydraulic fracturing - better known as fracking.

IGas has applied to carry out test drilling to check the suitability of the rock for shale gas extraction, through fracking.

A separate application would have to be made to carry out fracking.

IGas plans to develop one vertical exploratory shale gas well, drilling for about 14 weeks, and possibly a second horizontal well, drilling for about 19 weeks.

During drilling, operations would take place 24 hours a day.

The authority said at the project's peak there would be an average of 18 heavy goods vehicles and 10 light vehicles visiting the site each day.

'Further consultation'

David Larder, campaign group chairman, said: "We object to the 24 hour a day drilling for several months. The noise of this operation and the vibration will have a devastating effect upon the wildlife."

Fracking is a technique in which water and chemicals are pumped into shale rock at high pressure to extract gas

Sally Gill, planning manager for the county council, said: "If permission is granted, the test drilling would allow IGas to evaluate the potential resource of shale gas trapped beneath the surface.

"Depending on the results of the test drilling, IGas may, or may not, seek permission to extract the shale gas using fracking, but that would require a separate planning application which would be subject to further consultation."

Before this stage of the exploration process, the company is required to monitor methane levels in groundwater for 12 months. A separate application has been submitted, which is yet to be considered.