Monday 9 February 2015

Europe - Too many obstacles ( fracking ).

Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/business/international/chevron-to-abandon-shale-venture-in-poland-a-setback-to-fracking-europe.html?_r=0


REUTERS NEWS : The decision of the US oil company Chevron to stop shale gas exploration in Poland shows an uncertain future for this energy source in Europe, where it faces many obstacles.


The future of shale gas in Europe is uncertain, as evidenced by the decision of the US oil company Chevron to stop exploration in Poland. Unlike the US, where the explosion of shale gas has reduced the energy dependence of the world's largest economy, Europe is still in its infancy in this area.

No commercial use has yet begun on a continent that has, however, according to US government information on energy, several thousand billion cubic meters of recoverable shale gas. However, US officials temper their estimates on the basis that the deposits have not yet been located or valued and that their profitability is not known.

"TOO MANY OBSTACLES"

Another obstacle to shale gas in Europe, the collapse of oil prices due to oversupply in particular from the explosion of gas production and shale oil to the United States. "I know of no serious person who thinks that Europe will experience a revolution of shale gas for at least 15 years," said Paul Stevens of the British Institute think tank Chatham House energy. "That will not happen because there are too many obstacles."

These barriers include the reluctance of many European governments face hydraulic fracturing, which involves injecting sand into the rock and water but also chemicals to extract shale gas. This technique is banned in France and is the subject of a moratorium in Germany because of the damage it could cause to the environment.

The most 'promising' regions

In this context, Chevron decided to stop looking for shale gas in Poland to focus on other more promising regions. First inconclusive trials, the difficult terrain and possible regulatory matters barriers have led other companies, including Total, to turn his back to Poland.

Total has announced February 2 reporter several months his first test in Denmark due to delays in the construction of a drilling platform. However, some European governments believe in shale gas. This is the case of Great Britain, which intends to reduce its energy dependence and offset the decline in oil production in the North Sea.

Cuadrilla and IGAS thus drilled a number of wells. But in Britain also, commercial production has not begun because, again, there is a growing opposition to hydraulic fracturing. Scotland, whose resources could cover the British gas needs for more than 30 years, and last week announced a moratorium on the development of all unconventional oil and gas resources


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