Last week’s poll: the need for shale fracking

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According to Ofgem, Britain has one of the most reliable gas systems in the world, with supplies coming from North Sea gas fields and from imports.

If sources of gas have been sufficient up to now – and remain so – then do we need another UK source from shale reserves?

The question to last week’s poll was predicated by Cuadrilla’s successful horizontal drilling operation at its site in Preston New Road, Lancs. Francis Egan, Cuadrilla CEO, said: ‘Natural gas will flow into this horizontal well in commercially viable quantities demonstrating that the UK’s huge shale gas resources can be safely produced and contribute to improving the UK’s energy security.’

Of the 1126 respondents, 38 per cent thought that current gas supply arrangements are sufficient, followed by 28 per cent who took the opposite view and agreed that there’s an urgent need for a home grown source of natural gas.

A quarter of respondents weren’t necessarily opposed to fracking for shale gas, but thought that non-fossil fuel sources of energy should be prioritised.

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