Health and safety
Q. Drilling thousands of feet below ground does not sound safe. Have you done this before?
A. Yes. Celtique successfully drilled its first well in the Claracq Licence in France in 2014. This well, Cappouey-1 was drilled to a depth of 4,044m (13,268’) below ground level. Oil and gas was detected and safely tested. The drilling process used by Celtique is a tried and tested technique that has been used by energy companies both onshore and offshore all over the world for several decades. We engaged a reputable and qualified Drilling Contractor to provide a competent drilling rig and crew to drill the well under Celtique’s supervision. Once the drilling rig was assembled on the site, it was inspected by an independent assessor before any activity took place. This is to independently certify that it is secure and safe for operational use. The rig and well site was subjected to regular monitoring throughout the operations. This will be the same procedure that we will follow in any further exploration drilling and testing. Celtique has also been the non-operating partner in the successful and safe drilling of three wells, Wressle-1, Burton on The Wolds - 1 and Kiln Lane -1, all in the East Midlands, onshore UK.
Q. Have you got appropriate risk assessments in place?
A. Celtique will operate to the highest standards of safety that meet or exceed those set by the relevant regulatory and government bodies. We have a comprehensive health and safety policy in place that suppliers, contractors and partners all sign up to, to minimize the risk and the impact of our operations.
Any potential risks from our operations are identified, assessed and reduced to as low as reasonably possible for employees, contractors, the environment and communities affected by our operations.
Q. What happens if the drill bit breaks?
A. Drill bit technology has advanced considerably in the last 30 years and it is rare for a drill bit to fail, although they do wear out. In the event that a drill bit has to be changed, drilling fluid is circulated through the drill string, out the bit and up the hole to ensure that all cuttings have been removed from the wellbore. Circulation of the drilling fluid is stopped and the level in the wellbore observed to confirm that it is stable and that there are no losses or gains to the open formations. Once the drilling fluid level in the well is observed to be static, the drill pipe and bit is “tripped” out of the hole and sufficient drilling fluid added to the wellbore to compensate for the volume of drill pipe removed. These volumes are checked during the tripping process to ensure that the well remains static. Once the oil bit is at surface, it is removed and the new bit installed before running back to bottom. This procedure normally only lasts for several hours, dependent upon the depth of the well.
Q. What is the risk of well control failure?
A. During all hydrocarbon exploration potential high formation pressures associated with depth must be managed and controlled. A comprehensive evaluation of geological and drilling records for the local area is undertaken to determine if an abnormally high pressure environment might exist; if this possibility is present, the well is designed and constructed accordingly.
We design and engineer our operations to prevent problems and all operations are fully approved and regulated by the relevant authorities.
A blowout preventer (BOP) is installed at the top of the casing head at ground level after the surface casing has been set. The blowout preventer contains a series of rams designed to fit around the drill pipe or close off the well if no drill pipe is present. These rams are closed hydraulically and will seal the well and prevent the flow of any gases or fluids to surface that may lead to a blowout occurring. The BOPs is function tested every 7 days and pressure tested every 14 days to ensure it is performing correctly.
Q. Do you have to report to regulators?
A. As with all other gas and oil operators in Europe, our operations are strictly and comprehensively regulated and the relevant bodies will undertake inspections of the site. We employ dedicated personnel whose only role is to verify our adherence to these HSEC standards.
Q. I’ve heard that onshore drilling causes earthquakes?
A. In April 2011 in the UK, energy company Cuadrilla Resources inadvertently triggered two seismic events in the north-west of England using a technique called hydraulic fracturing or fracing. Key to the findings of the independent report that the company commissioned for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was that a unique and highly localised set of circumstances created the conditions for the events. We are not expecting to see these conditions in any of our locations. It is of note that an independent experts' review of the Cuadrilla report recommended that hydraulic fracturing should continue with rigourous safeguards in place.
Q. How can you be sure you won’t drill into a fault line?
A. We have undertaken several comprehensive studies of the geology of our well sites to map out the layout of the rocks and the location of the hydrocarbon reserves underneath the surface. Therefore we know where the fault lines are.
Q. Is it true that the fractures will cause explosions?
A. Hydraulic fracturing does not cause explosions. Before the ‘fracing’ process takes place, the cement casing that lines the well needs to be perforated to allow gas to flow into the well. A perforating gun is lowered by wire line into the casing to the targeted section of the formation. An electrical current is sent down the wire line to the perforating gun and sets off numerous charges that shoot small holes through the casing and cement and out a short distance into the shale formation. The perforating gun is then pulled out of the hole.
As it takes place deep below the surface, the perforating process would be unnoticeable to those in the surrounding area. The initial release of the electric charges would measure less than minus three on the Richter Scale, so for those standing directly above the target the vibrations would be akin to a pint of milk being dropped five miles away.