Ex-Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher dies

All depends..If interest rates stay low then Britain will simply tread water..
If they go up?? Sacre bleu..Ce qu'est un catastrophe!!
IMO.

I believe that Shale Gas will come to the rescue. In the same way that North Sea oil financed Thatchers "successful" years.

On the Chancellors green light on Shale Gas:

"While the post-Budget talk is all about the country’s debt increasing and deficit reduction stalling, the ramifications of the Chancellor’s decision has almost been entirely lost on the TV pundits.

First of all, a significant source of domestic gas that could help reverse the trend of rising levels of expensive imported gas from Russia, Qatar and Norway is no small matter. But add to that the creation of thousands of jobs and the impact lower gas prices would have, as it has in the US, on UK manufacturing costs, particularly in the steel, chemical and energy-heavy industries, and the benefits just look better and better. And there will be ‘sweeteners’ for local communities too as compensation for drilling rights. "

http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3032/uk_steals_vital_lead_on_europe_in_shale_gas_stakes

UK shale gas bonanza 'not assured'

A good summary. Yes. It isnt yet a given. We shale hear quite soon from the BGS. Safety and the environment are stumbling blocks. But the USA has already shown that it is very do-able, just like North Sea oil back in the 70s.

I believe it will go ahead, but it will not be pain free. Safety and the environment will dictate the recoverability of the massive quantities of gas held in shales in the UK ( for UK read NW England in the main).

There seems to be some debate on this. However, even if produceable reserves are somewhat more conservative, shale gas will still make a difference in terms of jobs in the UK and self sufficiency in energy and of course on our balance of payments and national debt.

"The British Geological Survey (BGS) is due to report on how much shale gas is under the country within weeks."

"Dr Nick Riley, of the BGS, said: "We are sitting on potentially a massive resource, but whether we are able to extract it we do not know. We have to do the exploration and then we have to get the consent of the people.""

The consent of the people will be the interesting one....but then they are talking about sweeteners...



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/en...e-gas-could-heat-all-homes-for-100-years.html

Like Germany has managed to do..They reckon they will power down their last nuke plant in 11 years.. They just shut down 7 of them and broke a solar power output record of almost 23 Gigawatts whilst the Brits debate Fracking!!
Who won the war again?? Makes you wonder.


Germany Doesn't Get Much Sun. How Did It Become a Leader in Solar Energy?

Easy. When God dished out the oil and gas in Europe he didn't give any to the Germans. So they have been forced to develop other energy strategies.

The BGS outline the problems involved....1 of about 5 or 6 of these....

Like the guy at BGS says, shale gas looks like it will be a game changer and rearrange the geopolitical map of the world a little - China has been blessed with a lot f it.

Saw bits of it. Based on a true story in Pennsylvania I believe.

Gasland the movie.....

Shale gas is not really so different to conventional hydrocarbon sources. The difference is simply that shale is not permeable so that the hydrocarbons wont flow out of the shale freely if penetrated. So fracking (hydraulic fracturing of the shale) is carried out to create the required permeability. Simple as that really.

In any case shale is normally the source of any conventional hydrocarbon reserves anyway.

Anyone seen this movie about Fracking starring Matt Damon?

Promised Land

This should get a few people going in the south

Cuadrilla to drill for shale gas in home counties for first time
"The fracking company has announced plans to drill a 3,000ft exploratory well in Balcombe amid strong local opposition"

"The first exploration well for shale gas in the home counties will be drilled this summer, fracking company Cuadrilla announced on Wednesday. Cuadrilla has already faced protests at its site in Lancashire, where its drilling caused a small earthquake, and beginning operations at Balcombe in Sussex is set to be a stern test of its ability to work in the face of community opposition.

Cuadrilla said it would drill a 3,000 foot well, which could be extended horizontally underground by 2,500ft. If oil or gas is discovered, it would be allowed to flow for a short time. But no fracking would take place, the company said, the process in which high-pressure water fractures rock to release trapped gas.

"We're fully aware that local people will have many questions about our plans and we'll do our best to answer all of them," said Francis Egan, Cuadrilla's chief executive. "During the coming months, we will discuss our plans with residents and they will be able to visit the site to see for themselves what our work involves." The drilling will take four months, according to the company.

Vanessa Vine, who lives four miles from the Balcombe site and is the founder of the Frack Free Sussex campaign group, said: "They have underestimated the local resistance. They will have a big fight one their hands." She said: "Fracking threatens to contaminate our water and our air, and the roads are not suitable for the tankers. We do not need to take more fossil fuels out of the ground – we need to invest in clean renewable technology.""

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/08/cuadrilla-drill-shale-gas-home-counties

I noticed that the Chancellor gave it a further thumbs up in his speech last night and nuclear energy too.


Anybody live in Sussex? The dilemma.

"There is going to be some industrialisation of our rural community, which we are unlikely to welcome. There are no benefits to the village and there are possible downsides," said Rodney Saunders, vice-chair of the parish council.

But oil drilling, which took place in Balcombe 27 years ago, could be the price of living in a modern country, he said. "We need airports, we need motorways, we need sewage works, but someone somewhere along the line needs to take a decision."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/may/09/fracking-firm-unnerves-sussex-villagers

Frack Me!

Its all about to kick off in the Tory Shires:

"Drilling for gas could take place across the south of England in the constituencies of 35 Tory MPs.
A new analysis of the areas where shale - a type of rock rich in natural gas - is plentiful and drilling licences have been handed out, covers the constituencies of several cabinet ministers.
Most are situated around the Weald Basin in Surrey and Sussex including the seats of Education sectretary Michael Gove, Cabinet secretary Francis Maude, Defence secretary Philip Hammond, Justice secretary Chris Grayling and Health secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Last week, the energy department announced fracking, the controversial technique of extracting gas from rock, would go ahead in earnest in the coming months despite environmental concerns.
Energy minister Michael Fallon said the government ‘owed it to the next generation’ to explore new energy sources which may bring down household fuel bills.
He told the Mail: ‘Let’s get fracking. There has been a lot of interest already, particularly in southern England and we are hoping to attract the big firms to come and drill here.’
In the USA fuel prices have tumbled due to shale exploration.
On his trip to Washington last week David Cameron said: ‘Frankly, I am pretty jealous of your fracking success here in the US.’"


"Some MPs are already privately concerned. One Tory said: ‘It’s one thing to have fracking in the vast plains of America. It’s a whole different matter when people will see gas production in the rolling hills of Surrey."


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...nded-party-strongholds.html?ito=feeds-newsxml