Pollution key to shale gas debate

ALTHOUGH no exploration wells have been drilled to confirm it, business leaders, at least one leading minister and global energy companies say that there are shale gas reserves locked in rock under the south and east of France that could power the country for 30 years, reduce its energy bill and make industry competitive again. However, the only known technique for getting shale gas out of the rock is hydraulic fracturing, which forces large quantities of water, sand and chemicals down the well where it cracks the rock open, letting gas back up the well.