The British government on Tuesday ordered scientists to take a new look at the risks of fracking, as soaring fuel prices and squeezed supplies prompt …
The British government on Tuesday ordered scientists to take a new look at the risks of fracking, as soaring fuel prices and squeezed supplies prompt a rethink about the country’s energy supply. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng asked the British Geological Survey to review the evidence and report by June “on the geological science of shale gas fracturing and the modelling of seismic activity in shale rocks in the U.K.” Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves pumping water and chemicals at high pressure to fracture shale rock and release gas. The process has long been controversial in Britain, with attempts to establish a fracking industry meeting strong opposition from environmentalists. The government suspended fracking in November 2019, saying it was not possible to accurately predict tremors associated with the drilling. That looked like a fatal blow to the industry as Britain sought to move away from fossil fuels and cut U.
