Mail & Guardian: Britain pumped up by shale gas reserves

The United Kingdom is sitting on shale gas deposits that could supply the country with energy for 25 years, suggests an independent report that increases previous estimates for the controversial energy source.

New figures published on June 27 by the British Geological Survey (BGS) indicated that the amount of shale resources, mainly sitting under the north of England, will trigger a new dash for gas.

The BGS published a long-awaited report that suggested an area stretching from Lancashire to Yorkshire and down to Lincolnshire could hold at least 1 300-trillion cubic feet of gas.

This compared with the more modest figure of less than five trillion cubic feet that was produced only three years ago. It also covered a far smaller area — the Bowland region.  MORE