Shale gas extraction: issues of particular relevance to the European Union
Following the rapid increase over the past decade in the production of shale gas in the USA, political interest in Europe has grown on the local potential of gas obtained by hydraulic fracturing of shale (‘fracking’). Potential attractions are seen from the energy security, local economic competitiveness and (to a lesser extent) employment standpoints, while the overall environmental advantages and disadvantages remain a matter of debate.
In this statement, EASAC addresses three specific concerns that are being put forward in the public debate about the exploitation of Europe's shale gas potential: 1) implications of a high population density throughout Europe (in combination with the problem of water usage); 2) question of methane leakage; and 3) challenge of (local) public acceptance.
The statement finds that although these concerns are justified in general, all three of them can be mitigated by use of best practices and proper regulation. The statement thus concludes that the issues studied in the report need to be carefully reflected by policy-makers, but that they are not an unsurmountable obstacle for exploring and using Europe's shale gas potential. Currently the scale of the shale gas resources and the economic viability of its extraction in EU countries remain uncertain and, without exploratory drilling, this uncertainty will continue.
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