Can Britain produce shale gas – or is it hot air?

CRITICS complain Britain is not well suited to fracking. The process can cause earth tremors, potentially damaging homes near wells, and the need for millions of gallons of water brings environmental concerns, they say.

Even energy industry big hitters, inclding Iain Conn – the former boss of British Gas owner Centrica – says Britain’s fracking industry cannot emulate its success in America on a number of grounds.

Here The Mail on Sunday examines the arguments:

Critics say fracking causes earthquakes and environmental damage. Are they correct? THE industry claims seismic tremors from the hydraulic process of blasting shale to release gas typically register less than 1 on the Richter scale. Sparsely populated regions in the US better lend themselves to extraction. But the industry says improved techniques combined with careful planning and testing will satisfy safety and environmental concerns. Supporters say the Government and the industry should work together to debunk concerns – and support British industry.

Are our shale reserves enough to make a material difference?

WARWICK Business School projects shale could account for up to a fifth of our gas consumption.

There have been concerns shale quality here is lower than elsewhere. Is this true? SAMPLES taken from Lancashire and the East Midlands show a high carbon and low clay content, indicating that it is a good quality resource.

Can we do this competitively?

YES. American infrastructure is now years ahead of ours. But the industry argues we can relatively easily plug into the UK’s 284,000 kilometres of gas pipelines. Besides, current supply shortages are sending global prices higher. That means the economics improve, even if we are creating new wells from scratch.