The Stream, April 14: Shale Gas

The French government will support parliamentary motions to revoke shale gas drilling permits in the country. The government has already imposed a freeze on exploration of shale gas until June pending study of the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing.

Meanwhile, public opposition is delaying ExxonMobil’s plans to drill for shale gas in Germany.

This commentary for the Guardian debunks the shale gas green credentials.

Indeed, natural gas extracted from shale formations produces more greenhouse gas emissions over a 20-year period than conventional fossil fuel sources such as gas, oil and coal, according to a Cornell University study. Reuters and Yale Environment 360 report that hydraulic fracking releases methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide.

The Financial Times reports that Asian oil and gas producers are hunting for opportunities in North America’s booming unconventional energy sector. What are the environmental and investment risks?

A Singapore engineering firm is considering building water treatment plants, and a large commercial, residential and industrial zone in China’s Shandong Province, Reuters reports.

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