Shale gas drilling in the UK has been given the go-ahead by Members of Parliament (MPs) in a new report looking at the impact it could have on water supplies, energy security and greenhouse gas emissions. Energy and Climate Change Committee published a report rejecting calls for a moratorium on shale gas exploration due to its impact on public health and the environment. The inquiry found no evidence that the hydraulic fracturing process involved in shale gas extraction – known as ‘fracking’ - poses a direct risk to underground water aquifers provided the drilling well is constructed properly. The committee concluded that, on balance, a moratorium in the UK is not justified or necessary at present. The MPs, nevertheless, urge the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to monitor drilling activity extremely closely in its early stages in order to assess its impact on air and water quality. Shale gas extraction could reduce the UK's dependence on imported gas, but it is unlikely to have a dramatic effect on domestic gas prices, according to the report. The British Geological Survey estimates that the UK's onshore shale gas resources could be as large as 150 bcm.
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