Department of Energy and Climate Change
The Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change Andrea Leadsom has today visited the IGas site at Doe Green, Warrington, to see what a potential hydraulic fracturing site would look like.
Shale can provide a cost-efficient bridge to lower-carbon energy use, and will be especially significant as we move away from coal generation. Exploring for shale will also help create jobs and grow local economies. Investment in shale could reach 33 billion and support 64,000 jobs in the oil, gas, construction, engineering and chemical sectors.
The visit coincides with the release of three videos by the Department of Energy and Climate Change to provide more information to people about shale gas, hydraulic fracturing and how it would be regulated.
The regulatory regime for hydraulic fracturing (fracking)
The role of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in fracking
Andrea Leadsom said:
Home-grown shale gas can help secure our energy supplies. By 2025 well be importing over half the oil and gas we use - shale is vital to reducing our reliance on imports.
Today we have launched three informative and engaging online films to give people the information they need to know about the potential shale industry which I hope will go a long way to informing debate
Notes to editors:
- Shale can be developed while protecting the environment. Independent regulators examine companies drilling proposals and will not allow hazardous operations.
- In June 2012 the Royal Academy of Engineering/Royal Society independent joint review of the scientific and engineering evidence on risks associated with UK shale gas development concluded that risks could be managed effectively so long as the correct procedures are followed and thats what our regulations insist on.