No licenses to carry out controversial 'fracking' have been given out in Sutton.

The borough has been deemed not suitable for fracking - the process by which shale gas is extracted from underground - because of the rock formations under the area.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the whole country must get behind fracking, which is short for hydraulic fracturing, with the aim of using the gas as fuel.

A large shale formation lies south of London underneath parts of Surrey and Hampshire.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has given a petroleum exploration and development licence covering an area including Sutton to Northdown Energy Ltd but this does not allow the Wimbledon-based firm to frack.

If the firm wants to frack it would have to apply for a permit from the Environment Agency, clearance from the Health and Safety Executive and planning permission from Sutton Council, none of which has happened.

A paper produced by Sutton Council and seen by the Sutton Guardian indicates the council is formulating its position on fracking, which involves making fractures in rock formations with the aim of releasing gas trapped within them.

The paper asks if drilling is likely in Sutton and goes on to say: "In terms of geology, the answer would appear to be 'no'.

"The nearest prospective shale formation occurs south of the borough and therefore it would seem that the borough is not suitable for fracking."

Fracking involves drilling deep into the ground and using a high pressure mixture of water, chemicals and sand to create the fractures in the rocks and release the gas.

The process has been used in this country but was suspended in 2011 after it was suspected to have caused a small earth tremor near Blackpool.

Last year the DECC said fracking could be resumed as long as it was closely monitored.

Environmentalists have also raised concerns about the chemicals used in the process getting into the water supply.

 

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