Shale Shilly Shally

Published: 5th March 2014 | Issue 28

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I was deeply impressed by an eloquent and well informed radio interviewee the other day talking on the subject of shale gas. An eminent UK academic, he led a University consortium focussed on the issue of shale gas and oil exploration using hydraulic fracturing (so called ‘fracking’). See: www.dur.ac.uk/refine

The presenter allowed him to explain in a few succinct paragraphs what the process was, how it worked, what might be gained, etc. I say ‘allowed’ because these days there is a tendency by some broadcasters to try and make a name for themselves by constantly interrupting and asking inane, irrelevant questions. Ever mindful of the energy gap I was so impressed I took notes. A colossal 1300 trillion cubic feet of gas under the North of England alone!

The University ‘don’ was keen to point out however the process of exploration needed to be fully completed first, before anyone could speak confidently about ‘reserves’ - what might feasible to extract with current technology.

The next day we heard that Total is to invest $21million in UK shale gas with three other partner companies, and our UK Prime Minister proposed a local tax regime to kick start local authority buy-in to the process, adding the missing ingredient of local benefit. Tax breaks for the UKCS were a similar catalyst for the renaissance in investment for the offshore sector.

Then the farce. Prime air-time is given the next day to a follower of an obscure cult spouting forth patent non-facts. Another I saw advanced a theory about shale gas being a global conspiracy to decrease the world’s population by polluting the water table! The nay-sayers are digging a much bigger ‘hole’ for themselves than any exploration company could ever hope to achieve.

The way forward is clear. Let the real experts do their job first and establish just what we have and what is possible. Then promptly put in place a strategy and energy blend that is neither perpetually deferred to the ‘next Government’ nor relies on the continual good will of overseas energy suppliers, or the vagaries of the British weather!

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