British government supports unconventional gas exploitation following the positive example of the USA. The opposition of LibDems and ecologist lobbies to a fundamental project for UK energy security.
Shale gas is a way to defeat the economic crisis and guarantee to the UK the energy independence. On Wednesday 12/6 the British government approved the start of shale gas exploitation in Great Britain.
As Natural Gas Europe reported, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, on behalf of British PM David Cameron, in a official expose confirmed that the UK will go on with the unconventional gas research which has been already started.
In his speech, Osborne underlined the UK should follow the USA example. Thanks to shale gas exploitation's start, Washington has became the first world gas exporter overcoming Russia, Iran and Qatar.
According to several researches and studies, the UK also contains considerable shale gas field, which could allow London to foster UK energy independence.
Osborne's shale gas policy divided the British government. On the one hand, the Conservatives are in favor of shale gas exploitation. On the other hand, the LibDems strongly oppose the bill as they did in the European Parliament, where they assumed a totally opposite position than the Tories one.
Also the ecologist lobby opposes Osborne's bill about shale gas. Despite of in the USA shale gas exploitation did not cause any environmental problem, the ecologists argue their opposition by the decision Cuadrilla energy company took in 2011, in order to stop shale gas research after a little earthquake came out during drilling operations in the North-West of England.
Osborne's position on shale gas is motivated by the necessity the UK has to diversify national gas supplies. By now, British economy is lied to progressive decreasing Dutch, National and Norwegian gas supplies.
For this reason, London even endangered EU energetic security by negotiating with Russia a Nordstream pipeline's extension to England.
The Nordstream is a Kremlin's political project planed by Moscow in order to bypass EU countries as Poland and Baltic States, and increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia.
The UK is trying to extend the Nordstream pipeline from Germany, where actually the pipeline ends, to England, in the town of Norfolk.
Osborne's position on shale gas drown up the UK among those EU countries which support shale gas exploitation, as Poland does.
Several studies certify the presence in Poland of the most important shale gas field in Europe.
On the contrary, Bulgaria and France still oppose shale gas development. In Paris, socialist President Francois Hollande's Administration banned shale gas exploitation after ecologist lobby and the majority of national government's ministers protested against the unconventional gas.
Matteo Cazzulani
