Irish Examiner: We must make serious decisions on fracking

The issue of fracking will have to be addressed sooner or later. Hydraulic fracturing — or ‘fracking’ — is the name of the game, and money is what it’s all about; that is, the objective is to get gas and oil from the ground in an area that is not amenable to usual extraction methods, and then to convert that oil or gas into money.

All over Europe, countries are being asked to stand up and decide whether they will allow it or not. In many locations, and among many groups, the word ‘fracking’ is a dirty word. Unfortunately, there are many reasons for that bad name and it’s all self-inflicted.

The techniques the industry uses to separate the oil and gas from the ground are prone to abuse. In simple terms, water, sand and chemicals are pumped into the ground under high pressure, the shale rock is fractured, and it releases the oil and gas.
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