What is Fracking? Hydraulic Fracturing is a method used to
extract natural gas from shale rock formations in which it is
trapped. Engineers drill a hole deep into the rock where the gas
is trapped, and then inject a mixture of sand, water and
chemicals into the hole at an extremely high pressure. This
causes the rock to split, releasing the gas into the well so
that it can be brought up to the surface. The natural gas, which
is produced and trapped in rock formations following the
breakdown of organic matter, is in such high demand it is known
as "energy gold". Britain has sizeable resources of shale gas
underneath the Pennines, some of the home counties and parts of
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, meaning it could be a
cheaper alternative to importing fossil fuels. What's the
problem with Fracking? Fracking has been linked to a variety of
environmental concerns including the contamination of
groundwater supplies, air pollution and seismic activity,
although there has so far been little consensus on any