Shale gas: what the frack is the truth?

In South Africa, international oil giant Shell has received most of the media attention so far. Sasol and other less well-known companies such as Falcon Oil and Bundu Gas also have shale-gas plans, but thus far have managed to stay mostly out of the public eye. This in spite of allegations that Falcon does not go to the same lengths as Shell with its public participation process.


Chris Tucker, director of Energy in Depth, a group that represents independent gas companies in the US, says Gasland’s criticism of the industry is unfair and uninformed. The spectacular scenes where people in Colorado ignite their tap water have nothing to do with shale gas and fracking, he says.


According to him, investigations have shown that this gas is conventional, natural gas that is found in shallower earth layers and had been there before any fracking and horizontal drilling had been done in shale rock.

I would like to ask Mr Tucker how he explains the igniting water in Australia, I guess that to is "Naturally Occurring" too.

http://www.news24.com/SciTech/Shale-gas-what-the-frack-is-the-truth-20110327-2