By ALESSANDRO TORELLO
There is no need for new legislation to regulate shale gas exploration in the European Union, according to a study published Friday that proposed the bloc adopt a low profile on what is a controversial issue among its 27 member countries.
The study, carried out by a consultant and authorized by the European Commission, the EU's executive body, says that existing legislation on exploration and production of fossil fuels - which are mainly aimed at guaranteeing safety and environmental protection - can apply to both conventional and unconventional gas.
"The legal study confirms that there is no immediate need for changing our EU legislation," Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said in a statement.
"We take environmental concerns seriously and will continue to monitor the development of shale gas extraction in the EU."
Shale gas - natural gas trapped in rocks thousands of meters underground - is a controversial issue in the EU, with France and Bulgaria being the main opponents to its extraction due to environmental concerns, while others - led by Poland - are strongly in favor because they see it as a mean of easing their dependence on imported gas, usually from Russia.
Shale gas is extracted by injecting large amounts of water mixed with chemicals underground, to crack the rocks that trap the gas and push it to the surface, a process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
Opponents fear that the procedure can pollute drinking water sources and possibly create small earthquakes, while supporters say that the gas operations are carried out much deeper underground and if the engineering is correct there is no danger.
Exploratory drilling is taking place at more than 20 sites in the EU, half of which are in Poland.
Extraction and commercialization of shale gas has radically changed the US gas market, making the country virtually self-sufficient.
That is also affecting the global gas market, because gas originally exported to the US can now flow to other countries.
Dow Jones Newswires