Thursday 22 September 2011

Blackpool weighs up earthquakes against energy and jobs

Lancashire could well be about to enter the global economy as a major producer of natural gas if this morning's reports are to be believed.

Reports say that there are 200 trillion cubic feet of "shale" gas to be found in the Bowland basin which would put the area with a higher deposit than Poland, which has been considered Europe's biggest holder of probable reserves.

The problem though will centre around the extraction method.

The Company behind the find,Cuadrilla, are currently banned from drilling over fears this caused a tremor in Blackpool earlier this year.

The controversial method of extracting the gas,'fracking' has come under scrutiny internationally due to concerns about environmental and health safety and a 2010 study by the US EPA "discovered contaminants in drinking water including: arsenic and copper adjacent to drilling operations which can cause illnesses including cancer, kidney failure, anaemia and fertility problems".

Set against that is the fact that the deposits could create over 5,000 jobs and contribute to the energy security of the UK.

a committee of MPs found no evidence it would pose a risk to water supplies from underground aquifers.

Cuadrilla chief executive Mark Miller said: "When they are done right, someone driving by on a country road or walking their dog, it will be hard for them to see our sites as they will blend in with the Lancashire countryside."

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