National Geographic Fracking Feature in the Shops

The March 2013 issue of National Geographic features a lead article on fracking in North Dakota - The New Oil Landscape. This is accompanied by some nice graphics and a video.

However, it is worth noting that the situation in North Dakota is not that same as here in Somerset. UK Methane are looking to exploit coalbed methane from coal seams and possibly shale gas from shale formations - not oil. In the USA shale gas is often a byproduct of the oil exploration and comes as freebee with effectively no exploration cost, so it is very cheap. National Geographic say that in North Dakota 30% of the gas is just flared. You can see the flaring from space - honest see here.

Because shale gas is so cheap in the USA our local MP Mr Rees-Mogg persists in saying that he is "cautiously in favour" of fracking in Somerset and says that “Energy poverty could be practically eliminated" - This is Somerset 14th February. Mr Rees-Mogg is also in favour of relaxing environmental controls and carbon emission targets.

The situation in the USA is very different to here in the UK and there is no evidence that fuel poverty is going to be reduced let alone "practically eliminated". If there is evidence rather than wishful thinking - let's see it.

Recent quotes from those in the know about the impacts of unconventional gas on the UK energy market include:

• "it is not the golden goose" - Ed Davey, Energy Secretary
• "its not likely to be a big game-changer in the natural gas market" - Christof Rühl, BP's chief economist
• “It is not going to be a game changer, there may be enough shale gas to contribute to heating our homes but let’s be clear, it is not going to drive prices down and it is carbon intensive.” David Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change.
• "Sam Laidlaw, chief executive of British Gas owner Centrica, said it would be at least a decade before the UK saw any shale gas production and that, even then, it would not be “the game changer we’ve seen in North America”." The Daily Telegraph.

etc, etc, etc

True to form Lord Lawson said in the House of Lords on the 26th February:

"... will my noble friend assure the House that if the need arises, our coal-fired power stations will be kept open for as long as necessary, regardless of the European large combustion plants directive? Looking further ahead, will she agree that the Government need to give every encouragement they can to the fastest possible development of our indigenous supplies of shale gas, which is clearly the fuel of choice for power stations in the foreseeable future?"

To which Baroness Verma replied:

"My Lords, my noble friend raises a number of important and key points. Of course we are looking at ensuring that we do not have a dip in our secure energy supply. We are also making sure that our new energies will take over when the old gas and coal-powered stations come off stream. We cannot meet our carbon emission reduction targets if we have unabated coal continuing to come out of our power stations. However, we are looking at increasing our gas supplies as well as all our other alternative energy supplies."

We'll take that as a "no" then.