LBC: Nick Ferrari 'Let's get cracking with fracking!'

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The Prime Minister has argued that lifting the moratorium slapped down on fracking in 2019 could see developers request planning permission and get gas flowing in as soon as six months. And already, one firm INEOS, is renewing an offer to drill a shale gas test well in Britain.

The director of the firm, which is the largest chemicals and energy company in the world, has said it can drill for shale gas in the UK “safely and without harm to the environment”.

Tom Crotty said: “We are renewing our offer to the Government to drill a shale gas test well in the UK. We believe we can prove we can do it safely and without harm to the environment.”

He continued: “Shale has helped transform the energy landscape and the local communities in the US. The US is well protected against the energy crisis as it is making the most of its natural resources.”

“It can do the same here in the UK. We have promised to invest the first 6 percent of the value of the gas back into the local communities. It goes without saying that the Government would also have an increased tax take.”

This comes amid a crippling energy crisis, largely sparked by the soaring cost of gas on the international market, with prices sent flying by Russia’s war in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s gas cuts.

While Britain only got four percent of its gas from Russia last year, the integrated nature of the market has exposed Britain’s vulnerability to the volatile price fluctuations associated with buying foreign gas.

And INEOS argues that if Britain sources its own gas, it would slash the need to purchase the energy source from foreign suppliers, shielding customers who feel the knock on impacts of the spiralling costs.

Mr Crotty continued: “INEOS has proved it is committed to the Energy Transition through major investments in Hydrogen and Carbon Capture & Storage, however we and the industry know that gas is and must be part of that transition.

“The country needs gas for at least the next 30 years. It is patently obvious that we should be using our own gas instead of shipping it in from abroad.”

But opponents of fracking argued that lifting the ban may bring little benefit to the UK, and environmental campaigners have highlighted safety concerns as well as the damage it causes to the climate.

Georgia Whitaker, an oil and gas campaigner for Greenpeace UK, has said that despite the industry experimenting with fracking for 10 years, it “produced no energy for the UK”.

Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer challenged Ms Truss in the House of Commons this week when she announced her plans to lift the ban, which was originally slapped down by the Conservatives.

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Sir Keir claims that fracking will do little to boost Britain’s energy supply in the short-term, or to improve energy security, adding that it is a “ludicrous” move amid the climate crisis.

And he used Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s own quotes against him, who has previously tweeted that “no amount” of shale gas from wells across England would bring prices down.

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