Shale at a snail's pace

Progress with the development and exploitation of the UK’s indigenous shale gas resources offers a good acid test of the Government’s industrial credentials – and the signs, to date, are far from promising.

While accusing ministers of “dithering” on the issue, MPs on the Energy and Climate Change Committee, could not, themselves, decide, whether or not shale gas could enhance energy security and reduce energy prices.

“It is still too soon to call whether shale gas will provide the silver bullet needed to solve our energy problems,” said committee chairman Tim Yeo, in a report on the matter.

But while leaders in the UK – and in the EU – ponder, the availability of energy and feedstock from shale gas is creating a significant huge advantage for US industry.

And, as a new report from European chemical industry body Cefic points out: “Other world regions are also primed to ride the shale gas wave, while European investments in shale gas exploration and development are taking place at a crawl.”

The clear concern is that process manufacturers will be left trailing behind their overseas competitors, if our lawmakers cannot grasp the opportunities presented by shale and other emerging industries.