Coastline Threats

In September 2012 Newport City planners raised no objections for a company called Sonorex to start exploratory drilling for oil and gas just 200 metres away from the Newport Wetlands Reserve. Local environmental groups did raise concerns but is this proposal a real threat?

North Wales would say no!

24km off the coast of North Wales is the Liverpool Bay Oil and Gas Field but it should really be called the North Wales oil and gas field because it is North Wales that has made sure it gains the most. There is a three platform manned drilling rig and three unmanned rigs off the North Wales Coast which brings gas ashore at the new state of the art gas terminal at Point of Ayr in Flintshire. Oil is stored in a floating terminal and transferred directly to tankers at sea.

Liverpool Bay Gas

The total recoverable reserves in Liverpool Bay are currently estimated to be in excess of 150 million barrels of oil and 1.2 trillion ft_ of gas. With peak oil production expected to average some 70,000 barrels per day, and a peak gas capacity of 300 million ft_ per day, the life of the development is projected to be at least 20 years. The gas is piped directly to Connah's Quay on Deeside helping to create high value jobs in the Northeast corner of Wales.

Wales is really going to be on the map as an oil producer. Possibilities for Sonorex in South Wales are equally encouraging looking at the geological data. Wales could be in for an oil boom. So why aren't local people jumping up and down and celebrating?

One reason is that the oil industry does not have a good environmental record. This is the explosion of BP's Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in2010. In 1996 an oil tanker called the Sea Empress hit rocks as it was entering the Cleddau Estuary on its way into Milford Haven and spilled 73,000 tonnes of crude oil into the coastal waters of Pembrokeshire.

Deepwater Horizon

As with all things there are threats and it is important that every possible safeguard is put in place to protect the coastline of Wales. Hopefully the Sea Empress disaster was a good thing ultimately for Wales because we know first-hand the threats so we insist on the highest of safety standards. One thing is for sure we are all using more energy and Wales is fast becoming a centre for energy in the UK and even on a world stage and this can bring jobs and money in the years ahead.

Milford Haven is a Ria or drowned river valley. At the end of the last ice age; ice melting caused sea levels to rise and this flooded the river valley creating one of the best natural harbours in the world. Today this port is a centre of industry - especially the importation, refining and use of oil and gas. It was here in 1996 that the worst environmental disaster in Welsh history took place - the oil spill from the Sea Empress.

Milford Haven

Milford Haven is the biggest port in Wales in terms of shipping and handles over a quarter of all the UK's motor fuel. As well as oil it is also a centre for the importation of L.N.G. (Liquified Natural Gas) which is stored on site, transported to Gloucester in England through the 197 mile South Wales Gas Pipeline and as of September 2012 burned in a state of the art gas fired thermal power station.

Pembroke Power Station

The new power station burning fossil fuels may seem like a backwards step because of climate change but in reality it is highly fuel efficient, so will replace older fossil fuel burning power stations and it is flexible in its power generation so will improve the ability of the UK to increase its use of renewable sources such as wind power. Most people do not realise that we cannot use unreliable renewable sources such as wind unless there is an instantly available backup; something called spinning capacity. The new gas fired power station provides this allowing a greater reliance on renewables such as wind. On its own it can provide enough electricity for all of Wales with some left over so it is a very important new part of the UK's integrated energy system. It is so important that most people expect at least one more to be built in Milford Haven very soon. The growth of the energy sector in and around Milford Haven has been a major success for Welsh Government economic policy; but how have threats to the environment been minimised?

In May 2012 Milford Haven Port has become one of only three ports (also Peterhead in Scotland and Grimsby in England both mainly fishing ports) in the UK to achieve European-wide accreditation for the standard of its Environmental Management System, having been awarded an EcoPorts PERS certificate. This is recognition for the planning and processes put in place by the port and its industries in order to support and protect the local environment. Safety standards are as high as is possible but are backed up by comprehensive plans in the event of an accident and a stockpile of essential equipment needed to cope with any foreseeable event - a big well done to Milford Haven Port Authority and a model for the rest of Wales, the UK and Europe to follow as new energy industries develop along our coastline.

Other major threats include new industries especially renewable energy industries. In previous editions of Geography in the news we examined various renewable energy sources that make energy from the sea. Tidal power generation could see many Welsh estuaries such as the Severn and Dee permanently flooded behind barrages. There are already major offshore wind farms. Tidal stream generators are to be located off Anglesey. There are plans for other underwater turbines to be laid in tidal fences and even wave energy generators at sea and on the coastline. All of these could be classed as a major threat to our coastlines.

Tidal Power

However many would argue that rising sea levels and increased storms as a consequence of climate change would be far bigger impacts. These could cause much greater rates of erosion and increased flood risks means that coastal communities would need to permanently change coastlines with the construction of major sea defences such as these at Aberavon.

Aberavon Flood Defences