The Welsh Government has gone out to consultation on proposals which would not support any new licensing of petroleum extraction in Wales in future.
Following the Wales Act 2017 Welsh Ministers will take over responsibility for licensing onshore petroleum extraction from the UK Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) on 1st October 2018.
Announcing the consultation, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said:
“The new petroleum licensing powers provide an opportunity to consider what should be our approach to petroleum extraction in Wales, for now and future generations. As a new area of responsibility for the Welsh Government, we commissioned a review of the evidence in 2017 to inform our future policy towards petroleum extraction.
“This consultation seeks views on that evidence and our proposed policy on petroleum extraction including fracking.
“Our aim is to sustainably manage our natural resources in a way which meets the needs of Wales today, without compromising the needs of future generations. To meet our climate change targets, our long-term aim is to remove fossil fuels from our energy mix while minimising economic impact and providing clarity for investors and encouraging them to invest in lower carbon alternatives.”
The Cabinet Secretary added:
“By not undertaking any new petroleum licensing in Wales or supporting applications for hydraulic fracturing petroleum license consents, we will be taking a small, yet important step towards a decarbonised future in Wales and will be contributing to the global movement away from fossil fuels.”
Deadline to submit responses to the consultation is 25th September 2018 - click here to access the consultation document.
Sulzer has launched a new global Center of Excellence (CoE) for Water Treatment Solutions - the CoE consolidates Sulzer’s wastewater treatment expertise in a unified and global manner.
“SAS (Surplus Activated Sludge) is a bit weird and 
Owen Mace has taken over as Director of the British Plastics Federation (BPF) Plastic Pipes Group on the retirement of Caroline Ayres. He was previously Standards and Technical Manager for the group.
PureTec Separations, the Ledbury-based water treatment engineering firm, has appointed Dan Norman as its new Sales Manager – Water Process Systems, supporting the company’s continued growth in the UK and international markets.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.