1. Energy Companies Plan to Step Up Shale Gas Activity
This month, Royal Dutch Shell began drilling for shale gas in Sweden in one of the latest
developments within the sector.
The prospects are good, as there are potentially enough resources to make the country self-
sufficient for a decade.
"We are drilling the first well and expect to finish this month," said a spokesperson for the firm.
"It's a promising area. There could be enough gas to cover Sweden's gas needs for at least
10 years," he added.
Shell is drilling the first three exploration wells during the first quarter of the year and the
spokesperson told Reuters that full-scale operations may be possible within five to 10 years.
Hydraulic Fracturing Concerns
However, there have been some concerns expressed over the impact of drilling for shale gas
on ground water.
Goeran Gustafson, a science teacher who is active in a green group that is aiming to stop the
project, has suggested that heavy metals and other dangerous substances may contaminate
it.
Similar anxiety has also arisen around the shale gas drilling in the United States. However,
Rex Tillerson, chief executive of Exxon Mobil Group, recently told a hearing before the
Congress energy and environment subcommittee that the hydraulic fracturing technique for
extracting shale gas was safe.
"We can now find and produce unconventional natural gas supplies miles below the surface
in a safe, efficient and environmentally-responsible manner," he stressed.
Shale Gas Exploration
While these debates are ongoing, energy businesses are continuing to make the most of their
shale gas investments.
This month, Pioneer Natural Resources Company announced a second successful
exploration exercise in the Eagle Ford shale gas well in south Texas.
The Robert Crawley Gas Unit Number...
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