For the last few months Energy Voice has been asking its readers to answer a weekly ‘burning question’- and now the results are in.
Fracking
Normally the topic of fracking is a decisive one. England is pushing ahead with the controversial practice while north of the border a moratorium has been imposed by the Scottish Government until further studies are completed.
However 91% of respondents to Energy Voice’s survey believe the ban should be lifted.
One respondent said: “Unlocking the potential for Scottish unconventional petroleum in an era of declining offshore conventional resources is pragmatic.
“This is especially as Scottish demand will continue – even under reductions under the carbon budgets.
“It will be a choice between importing gas or utilising domestic resources.
“It [fracking] will provide jobs to thousands and economic security for millions.”
However an opponent of this view said: “Hydraulic fracking is a retrograde step in terms of energy production.
“Renewable energies are the future. Cleaner Greener and sustainable.”
Super Pumas
Energy Voice revealed earlier this week that helicopter manufacturer Airbus is canvassing opinion on returning the banned Super Pumas to the North Sea.
In our survey we asked if readers would fly on the EC225s if the CAA’s flight restrictions were lifted.
And just over half of respondents said they would.
General Election
The snap general election proved to be a tricky one for the Conservatives and the SNP, who both lost seats across the UK.
But they came top of the polls when our readers were asked who they would be voting for.
The Liberal Democrats came in third place, with Labour only getting one vote in our poll.
Decom
In the final qustion for this round up, Energy voice asked if Shell should remove the legs of its Brent field platforms on the seabed.
Shell is recommending leaving the 300,000 tonne legs from three of the field’s four platforms in place, along with storage cells, the lower section of the Alpha platform’s jacket, drill cuttings and heavier pipelines entrenched in the seabed.
Shell said the safety risks outweighed the environmental benefits associated with removing the infrastructure from the field, which lies 115 miles north-east of Shetland.
It said the legs were not designed to be re-floated and that a project to remove them would be produce large volumes of carbon dioxide.
And almost all of our readers thought that this should be allowed.
Only 1% sided with green groups in backing the removal of the legs.