[Research] Parliamentary Questions

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 01 Dec 2010 (pt 0001)
Natural Gas

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the level of reserves of shale gas in the UK. [27752]

Charles Hendry: The British Geological Survey estimates that there could be worthwhile shale gas resources in the UK. However it is not possible to make an estimate of reserves without drilling and production testing, and it is not yet clear that the success elsewhere can be replicated in the UK.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 06 Dec 2010 (pt 0001)
Natural Gas

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the potential contribution of shale gas to the UK's energy needs. [27751]

Charles Hendry [holding answer 1 December 2010]: The security of supply of gas is a top Government priority in the UK. Gas is fungible and DECC does not distinguish between types of gas consumed in the UK but instead aims to create an environment where there are incentives for investing in all viable forms of gas production. The energy security and green economy bill contains measures to strengthen the market incentive mechanism for ensuring sufficient gas is available.

The UK is already benefiting from the technological breakthroughs in unconventional gas production methods. Recent increases in shale gas production in the United States has reduced the US's demand for imports of LNG, freeing up this LNG to be imported by other countries such as the UK and helping to put downward pressure on wholesale gas prices.

Further increases in the global production of shale gas are expected. This may help the UK to meet its demand for gas either directly (i.e. by being consumed in the UK) or indirectly (i.e. by freeing up other gas resources for consumption by the UK).

The British Geological Survey estimates that there could be worthwhile shale gas resources in the UK. However it is not possible to make an estimate of reserves without drilling and production testing, and it is not yet clear that the success elsewhere can be replicated in the UK.

15 Dec 2010
Hydraulic Fracturing
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the use of hydraulic fracturing by the oil and gas industry; and what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on regulation of the use of hydraulic fracturing. [29560]

Gregory Barker: Hydraulic fracturing has long been used to increase the productivity of oil and gas fields and, more recently, of shale gas reservoirs, where the rock has low natural permeability. The Department has no objection to the use of this technique so long as all of the relevant environmental and planning assessments have been carried out and permissions granted. I have had no discussions with my EU counterparts on the regulation of the use of hydraulic fracturing.