Readers may be aware that Cuadrilla have decided to suspend drilling operations in Balcombe and will seek new planning permission. As one might expect this has prompted the usual slightly crazed round of accusations and innuendo from the green fringe, but there are slightly better quality critiques around.
Professor David Smythe, a retired geophysicist (and formerly the bass player in the Rezillos!), has written a critique of Cuadrilla's plans from his home in the South of France. You can see it here, with an article directly addressing Cuadrilla's decision to suspend operations here at the Greenpeace site. (I'm not sure this choice of outlet is a wise move on Prof Smyth's part, at least if he wants to be taken seriously).
The critique has several different points of attack: that there are more faults in the way than Cuadrilla are saying, something he says is distinctly different to US shales where he says there are none, that Cuadrilla won't be able to keep their drill in the oil-bearing layer, and that if they drill into a fault then there is a risk of leakage and or earthquakes.
In response James Verdon has pointed out a few problems with Smyth's critique. They are quite big problems actually.