Fracking Could Get Green Light From Ministers

The Government is set to announce today whether it will lift a ban on the controversial process of shale gas exploration known as fracking.

Ministers are expected to allow gas company Cuadrilla to resume operations in Lancashire after they were halted in 2011 when test-drilling caused two minor earthquakes.

Fracking involves drilling holes deep into the ground and then using high-pressure liquid to fracture shale rocks to release gas trapped inside.

Cuadrilla believes it could supply a quarter of the UK's gas needs from the resource in Lancashire, leaving the country less reliant on foreign imports from Qatar or Russia.

There are also hopes it could help bring down energy prices.

The Treasury has already signalled its support for the budding industry, proposing tax relief for shale gas and unveiling a gas generation strategy.

But environmentalists argue that the fuel has no place in the move to a low-carbon economy and insist continuing to rely on gas could stop the UK meeting its emissions targets.

There are also concerns that fracking can cause local environmental problems, including polluting water supplies and damaging development.

Friends of the Earth senior energy campaigner Tony Bosworth said: "A green light to fracking would spell bad news for local communities and their environment, jeopardise UK climate change targets and help keep the nation hooked on dirty gas for decades.

"Gambling on shale gas is a risk we don't need to take - developing our huge clean power potential and cutting energy waste will create jobs, reduce our fossil fuel dependency and keep the lights on."

A decision on whether Cuadrilla can resume their work will also have consequences for other companies keen to potentially exploit the resource elsewhere in the UK.

Its chief executive Francis Egan told the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee earlier this week that he believes it can provide 25% of the UK's gas demand.

He insisted that pursuing fracking would have huge benefits, including creating tens of thousands of jobs and raising significant tax revenues.

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