Shale Gas: Meet the ‘Frack Master’

Chris Falkner

Chris Falkner

BVAA’s CEO Rob Bartlett recently attended a screening of the film ‘Fracknation’ at the House of Commons. While there, Rob interviewed one of the highest profile advocates for ‘fracking’, Chris Faulkner, the CEO of Dallas-based oil and gas company Breitling Energy Corporation…

RB: How important do you see Fracking to UK plc?

Chris: I think it’s going to be a huge, huge gift to the United Kingdom as far as natural gas extraction goes. Take what we have up in Blackpool, for example: 1300 trillion cubic feet (TCF). 10% of that could power the UK for 50 years. Fracking will be the vehicle that delivers natural gas to the UK.

RB: Wow, that’s amazing! How do you convince doubters that is is safe and for their long-term benefit?

Chris: If they’re willing to listen, all it takes are the simple facts. Look at the United States, for example, where we’ve fracked 1.5 million wells since 1947. It’s not untested or untried technology. We’ve set a precedent, we’ve proven it, it works, and it’s safe.

RB: What specifically are the US Government doing that convinces the USA people so emphatically, that UK Government isn’t doing you think?

Chris: Science. The US Government has taken steps to do the research, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has done numerous studies with numerous water samples to prove that fracking is safe. It can be done similarly here.

RB: Is it a case of social permission do you think, rather than planning permission?

Chris: I think that getting the social license is a big part of this. Community concern and the local grass-roots effort is a major, major portion of what we encounter in the United States and it’s going to be a big portion here. You saw Balcombe back in May and what happened there, so I would not underestimate the power of the people.

RB: What are the challenges that valve companies face, and I’m thinking there specifically of operating conditions etc. The corrosivity of the fluid, abrasion resistance that’s needed etc. Is it particularly high?

Chris: No, it’s no different than regular conventional oil and gas. The operating conditions in the oil field service companies are going to be the same as you see right now in conventional oil and gas operations in the North Sea, for example. There’s been 50 years of production there and there’s no difference between on-shore and off-shore, really.

RB: As you may be aware we (BVAA members) are known for our high quality, high value valves, so do you think that high value suppliers like the UK companies have a future in the USA and UK fracking industries?

Chris: Sure. In the UK the only issue we have is availability of the equipment, availability of people, the knowledge and technology – that’s the limitation that we have right now in the UK.

RB: Is that specifically rigs, because I understand there’s very few of them?

Chris: Yes, there’s about 60 rigs in all of Europe, compared to 1770 today in the United States, so there is a very big disparity in availability of equipment.

RB: Final question. How do UK suppliers engage with companies like Breitling? In terms of the supply chain how would we start the process of talking to you guys?

Chris: In the United Kingdom we need all the help we can get, so I am sure we’ll be coming to you!

RB: Brilliant, that’s a great answer, thanks very much!


Published: 18th September 2014

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