From ABC Rural:- Leading scientists say unconventional gas is...

From ABC Rural:-

Leading scientists say unconventional gas is 'safe' if extracted carefully

Leading scientists from around the world have gathered in Sydney, to make the case for developing massive unconventional gas resources, despite widespread global opposition.
In a panel discussion at the Unconventional Gas Opportunities and Challenges conference, experts agreed unconventional gas exploration can be done in a safe manner, if it is regulated.
Geoffrey Maitland, professor of energy engineering at Imperial College in London, said unconventional gas was an environmentally friendly option, as gas supplies continue to diminish in the United Kingdom.
"It will give us security of supply, rather than the current imports that we get from Norway, or a lot of LNG which is very Co2 intensive," said.
"This is safe, it can be done much more safely than coal mining was 50 years ago and the benefits far outweigh the short term disadvantages."
Mr Maitland acknowledged the issues and opposition against unconventional gas, such as concerns about horizontal well drilling and leakages.
But he said such risks can be managed if the process is regulated.


AUDIO: Panel of scientists discuss safety of unconventional gas (ABC Rural)

He said data that monitors the process before, during and after a project should be made available to governments and local communities, so that "concerns about health and environment and quality of life are not impeded and that they bring wealth and prosperity to local communities."
Mark Zoback, professor of geophysics at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Natural Gas Initiative, agreed that shale gas resources could be developed if the process is regulated.
This is safe, it can be done much more safely than coal mining was 50 years ago and the benefits far outweigh the short term disadvantages.
Geoffrey Maitland, professor of energy engineering at Imperial College in London
"The issue is to have a fact base regulatory system, a transparent operating environment, and to make the affected people part of the process from the very beginning."
United States president Barak Obama has asked Professor Zoback for advice regarding unconventional gas.
"We concluded that there is simply no question that shale gas could be developed in an environmentally responsible manner," Professor Zoback said.
Barry Goldstein, executive director of South Australia's department of Energy Resources, said he approached the issue differently.
"Our legislation puts a ban on everything, everywhere, until such a time we look at things locally."
He said the co-regulatory sphere decided whether the risks outweighed the benefits and then put it to the public to engage with the issue.
Allan Hawke, Chancellor of the Australian National University, was commissioner of the Northern Territory fracking inquiry.
He recommended that unconventional gas wells could proceed and he despaired over politicians who put bans in place.
"They just all say let's have a moratorium [but] what's the moratorium for?" He said.
"It's so they can work out whether it's okay to go ahead or not.
"When they have proof that it is okay to go ahead, they don't want to know about it.
"It's political cowardice in my view."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-23/unconventional-gas-globally/6799074