Amid showdown with energy-rich Russia, calls rise in Europe to start fracking

Washington Post ^ | April 7, 2014 | By Griff Witte and Anthony Faiola

[Brad from Tennessee]

FERNHURST, England — Europe’s newest weapon in the battle of wills with Russian President Vladimir Putin lies buried deep beneath the ancient oaks and rolling green pastures of this quintessentially English village.

There, wedged in the bedrock, lie vast quantities of oil and natural gas — enough, when combined with the spoils of hundreds of other sites like it, to help kick Europe’s addiction to Russian energy.

Or so says David Cameron.

Ever since Russian forces took hold of Crimea last month, the British prime minister has been leading a chorus of conservative politicians and energy executives in a refrain they believe will spark a shale gas revolution in Europe: Frack, baby, frack.

The push for a European boom in fracking — shorthand for hydraulic fracturing — has been underway for years, but it has taken on new urgency in recent weeks as fears grow of a revival of the Cold War. With Europe leaning on Russia for a third of its natural gas needs, the continent’s leaders say they need to develop their own energy sources — and fast. . .

[alloysteel]

Well, this is going to have “greenies” suffering from a major twist in their knickers. All the arguments as to why there may not be any “fracking” in upstate New York or most anywhere in the Northeast part of the US, will be trotted out in England and most of the Northern European states. And it may be with sufficient effect to completely stall out any attempts to bring “fracking” to that region.

What, and deny the Russian Federation their enormous profits from their sale of natural gas to Europe? Got to protect the interested parties, doncha know.

[mosesdapoet]

Hope somebody has maps of these locations to add to this important posting

[afraidfortherepublic]

Obama is going to ‘screw’ around and find that nobody else is going to need our oil and gas once they all start fracking and find that they can produce their own!

[Paul R.]

Yes. Absolutely monster shale fields have been found in Russia.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/18/siberian-shale-find-fuels-russias-fracking-future/?page=all

[mac_truck]

During Reagan's first term the United States tried to get the Europeans to stop building the first natural gas pipeline from the old Soviet Union as a response to the Communist crackdown in Poland.

If the Europeans weren't interested in finding energy alternatives to pressure the Russians during the Cold War, I doubt they're interested in doing so today.

[thackney]

From a year ago:

[mosesdapoet]

Thanks but this doesn’t show eastern europe have heard reports there are sizeable deposits in Poland and Ukraine. If that opens up Rusky prices drop maybe that what Putin’s moves is all about. Whatdaya think ?

[mosesdapoet]

Oppps. Half of the map you furnished didn’t show up on my puter. For sure that where he’s moving to.