Infographic: Fracking Imports and Exports in Europe — Natural Gas Reserves, Production, and Consumption by Country

How do shale gas reserves measure up in European countries?

The United Kingdom is the latest country to support hydraulic fracturing—the process of injecting water, chemicals, and sand at high pressure into rock formations to free up the oil and natural gas trapped inside—which has long been used in the United States, but has been temporarily banned in both Pennsylvania and New York for environmental concerns.

The British go-ahead comes just two weeks after the lower house of the French Parliament banned fracking and revoked existing shale gas permits. Click through the interactive infographic below to see a map of natural gas reserves by country, as well as how much natural gas is produced, consumed, imported, and exported.

Infographic by Kelly Shea and Mark Townsend, recent graduates of Ball State University’s journalism graphics program. Shea and Townsend are Traverse City-based designers for Circle of Blue and can be reached at circleofblue.org/contact.

This graphic was made to accompany Circle of Blue reporter Nadya Ivanova’s report, Uncertain Future for Fracking in Europe—Accepted by UK, Rejected by France, Others Undecided.