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New poll shows majority support for fracking August 11, 2014 There is wide-scale support for the exploitation of natural gas through fracking, according to a new survey commissioned for the group UK Onshore Oil and Gas (UKOOG). Conducted by Populus, the poll of 4,000 people found 57 per cent were in favour of fracking while just 16 per cent were opposed, and 27 per cent [...]
Will fracking lead to a UK energy renaissance? July 31, 2014 For the first time in six years companies are able to bid for natural gas exploration licenses in the United Kingdom. The UK became a net importer of petroleum and natural gas last year and domestically-produced natural gas now accounts for only a third of consumption. Prime Minister Cameron’s decision to go “all out for [...]
Germany edges closer to total ban on fracking July 31, 2014 Germany could soon extend its moratorium on the use of fracking to a total ban, reports EurActiv Germany. The president of Germany's Federal Environment Agency (UBA) Maria Krautzberger, presented the group's fracking-II assessment in Berlin, concluding: "As long as crucial risks related to this technology cannot be predicted and likewise cannot be controlled, fracking should [...]
Shale gas industry urges for more clarity on fracking guidelines July 28, 2014 New planning guidance for shale gas exploration is just a political panacea to temper opposition, legal experts and industry sources claimed yesterday. The government has introduced new guidelines for fracking in areas such as National Parks, as it opened up the 14th licencing round for shale gas. “Where applications represent major development, planning permission should [...]
Why the coming UK shale boom is good news for jobs and the environment July 28, 2014 SHALE gas production would be good news for meeting Britain’s energy needs, for jobs and for the environment, and yesterday’s launch of the 14th licensing round for onshore oil and gas was good news for shale development. First, gas supplies. The British Geological Survey has estimated that the North of England and Southern Scotland have [...]
Fracking revolution threatened by rules protecting national parks and countryside July 28, 2014 The UK government will today kick off the 14th licensing round for shale gas, yet has bowed to opponents by including fresh curbs on fracking in protected areas. The bidding round, which is the first since 2008, will in theory open up more than half of the country to shale gas developers. Yet any fracking [...]
New regulator set to oversee shale licensing July 7, 2014 THE NEW oil and gas regulator created for the UK North Sea will also have powers over onshore activities, including shale gas, City A.M. has learnt. In a bid to ensure security of supply and bring down energy costs, the government has been supportive of the conventional oil and gas sector and the burgeoning shale [...]
New maps on shale formations quench fears of water pollution July 3, 2014 The UK’s burgeoning shale gas industry yesterday went some way to satiate the concerns of environmental campaigners, when new data showed the layer of rocks where the resource would be found was far below the area exploited for drinking water. Critics argue that extracting shale gas – and the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing [...]
Scotland holds modest shale gas resources June 30, 2014 The Midland Valley in central Scotland has a “modest” amount of shale gas and oil compared to the north of England, according to a new report published yesterday. The British Geological Survey (BGS) estimates that the region is likely to hold around 80 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of shale gas and 6bn barrels of shale [...]
New York court gives green light to fracking bans June 30, 2014 Today, New York's highest court ruled that the state's towns and cities can block hydraulic fracking within their borders. The ruling comes as the energy industry awaits a decision on whether a hold on hydraulic fracking, which has been in place in New York since 2008, will be lifted. Fracking has been important in pushing [...]