Greenpeace plans fracking challenge - Telegraph But leading industry figures said Greenpeace's claims were "extremely misleading" and insisted they would follow the same procedure as firms working underground to install pipelines, fibre optics, and geothermal energy systems. Companies are required to notify home owners that they intend to drill beneath their home, and usually agree a compensation fee. If no agreement is reached, the Government can give permission for work to proceed. A spokesman for the UK Onshore Operators Group said: "Operators in this country are abiding by the law which states that activities at depths of over a mile under the ground do not impact landowners, however in line with the law, operators will inform all landowners in a very clear and transparent manner." A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: "This is not a block to shale gas development in the UK. There is flexibility about where to locate a drilling rig to access any oil or gas resources. Like any other industrial activity, oil and gas operations will normally require the agreement of the landowners whose land is used. Oil or gas developers will negotiate with landowners as necessary and agree terms for the access they require.