London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025

Fracking: Ministers order geological survey two days before unveiling new energy strategy

Fracking: Ministers order geological survey two days before unveiling new energy strategy

Fracking has been effectively banned by the government since 2019 but as it pushes to reduce reliance on other countries shale gas has become more of a focus in recent weeks.

The government has commissioned a survey into fracking two days before announcing a new energy strategy focused on using UK-produced supplies after the invasion of Ukraine.

In 2019 ministers placed a moratorium on fracking, which pumps water, chemicals and sand underground at high pressure to fracture shale rock and release trapped oil and gas.

Its decision - a reversal of previous policies - came after a scientific study warned it was not possible to rule out "unacceptable" consequences for those living near fracking sites after tremors were felt near sites in Lancashire.

But the issue of fracking has arisen again as the government tries to reduce soaring energy bills and secure its own oil and gas supplies in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Fracked gas would produce less than 5% of the UK's gas demand over five years in the best case scenario, and assuming there were no planning or local protest issues, according to analysis by Carbon Brief.

The Energy Security Strategy is set to be published on Thursday after nearly a month of delays - believed to be because the Treasury was not happy with the long-term costs involved, especially with nuclear.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced on Tuesday the British Geological Survey (BGS) had been commissioned "to advise on the latest scientific advice around shale gas extraction" - otherwise known as fracking.

He emphasised this will be a "desk-based exercise" so "no drilling of any further test wells or seismic monitoring will take place".

Mr Kwarteng said: "We have always been, and always will be, guided by the science on shale gas.

"It remains the case that fracking in England would take years of exploration and development before commercial quantities of gas could be produced for the market, and would certainly have no effect on prices in the near term.

"However, there will continue to be an ongoing demand for oil and gas over the coming decades as we transition to cheap renewable energy and new nuclear power. In light of Putin's criminal invasion of Ukraine, it is absolutely right that we explore all possible domestic energy sources.

Energy think tank ECIU says a combination of insulation and heat pumps would cut gas demand enough to avoid the need to drill for or buy gas, and lower bills.

Mr Kwarteng added: "However, unless the latest scientific evidence demonstrates that shale gas extraction is safe, sustainable and of minimal disturbance to those living and working nearby, the pause in England will remain in place."

Cuadrilla's boss has said fracking could help with energy prices and reliance on other countries.


The BGS has been asked to look into whether there are new fracking techniques that reduce the risk and magnitude of earth tremors, whether they would be suitable for the UK and how fracking seismic activity compares with other forms of underground energy production or activities such as construction.

It has also been asked to investigate how shale modelling has improved since 2019 and if that means the government could be completely confident of their predictions. Ministers have also asked the BGS to see if there are other sites, outside Lancashire, which might be at a lower risk of seismic activity.

Last week, energy producer Cuadrilla had a deadline to plug its three shale gas testing wells in Lancashire extended to June 2023.

It had previously been ordered to concrete up the wells by 30 June this year after the effective fracking ban in 2019.

Greenpeace UK urged the government to stop "pandering to fracking obsessives who aren't up to speed with the realities of 21st century energy," calling for a windfall tax, the cutting of home energy waste, and of bolstering of renewables.

"Less than 24 hours after the UN has slated new fossil fuels investments as 'economic madness', the government has launched a review into fracking," said campaigner Ami McCarthy said. "This does not bode well."


The government has come under increasing pressure to rethink its position on fracking as energy prices rise and Boris Johnson has called for Europe to wean itself off Russian oil and gas.

Cuadrilla's chief executive Francis Egan said starting fracking again would help reduce and "potentially halt" expensive gas imports from abroad, including from Russia.

On Monday, Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees-Mogg downplayed the earthquake risks from fracking and suggested "every last drop" of oil should be extracted from the North Sea.

Downing Street earlier appeared to not rule fracking out as it said the moratorium "still remains" but said the Ukraine war means the government needs to "look at all possible options for improving domestic energy supply".

However, energy minister Greg Hands said: "Fracking is not the solution to near-term issues.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
×