This is Money: Shale gas could redraw the economic map of Britain
It is a windfall Governments can only dream about. Out of the blue comes a source of energy worth hundreds of billions of pounds…and it is made in Britain.
At one stroke we are no longer dependent on foreign imports. No longer will the Russians be able to influence us by turning off supplies. No longer will we rely on gas supplies from the war zones of the Middle East or even rich neighbours such as Norway.
Crucially for politicians, soaring gas prices could become a curse of the past as plentiful locally produced supplies of energy maintain a stable price regime, allowing industry – especially those that are energy intensive – the ability to plan and invest with confidence.