Controversial fracking to extract shale gas from huge tracts of Fife could help slash energy prices and create thousands of jobs, an MSP has claimed.
Murdo Fraser, convener of the Scottish Parliament’s economy, energy and tourism committee, insists it is time for Scotland to embrace the “shale gas revolution”.
Abundant gas deposits are thought to lie under Fife but the prospect of extraction through fracking has proved hugely divisive.
The process involves forcing water, chemicals and sand at high pressure into shale rock deposits underground, causing the rock to fracture and allowing for the recovery of gas and oil trapped within.
Opponents warn the process, which can cause earth tremors, could change the face of their communities forever but Mr Fraser a vociferous opponent of wind turbines believes the potential is enormous.
He believes gas deposits underground between Falkirk and Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes and Anstruther could offer a cheap fuel source.
“Shale gas has revolutionised energy markets in the US and has substantially reduced costs for both consumers and industry and I believe it has the potential to do the same for Scotland,” Mr Fraser said.
“Nearly 40% of Scottish residents are struggling in fuel poverty. I want to see a proactive Scottish Government approach on shale gas that will give hard-up Scots a route out of fuel poverty.”
Mr Fraser added: “Recently I have visited several factories in my region and they are crying out for shale gas in order to level the energy price playing field. Unless the Scottish Government can devise a balanced, fair and affordable energy policy, high energy prices will cost manufacturing jobs.”
However, Dr Richard Dixon, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, believes that Mr Fraser is misguided in his support for onshore and offshore shale gas, which he fears could cause pollution.
“We already know of about five times more fossil fuels than we need to guarantee disastrous climate change the last thing we need is more dirty gas,” said Dr Dixon.
“Combined with local health impacts and soil and water contamination risks, unconventional gas is a bad idea all round.
“Scotland should ban all shale gas, fracking and other unconventional gas developments before they even get going.
“We are blessed with huge renewable energy resources so we should be exploiting these clean energy sources instead of even considering unconventional gas.
“Murdo Fraser should reconsider his position against wind power and for dirty fossil fuels.”
Mr Fraser made his call to exploit shale gas while questioning Finance Secretary John Swinney.
In the chamber, Mr Fraser said the most recent estimates showed that the United Kingdom’s technically recoverable shale gas much of which is in Scotland amounts to 10 times annual gas demand.
He claimed that 35,000 jobs could be created, energy costs slashed and the economy boosted if the Government backed the power source.
Mr Swinney expressed caution about shale gas as the future of energy production, saying: “Proposals for coal-bed methane or shale gas production in Scotland will be studied on their merits.
“Each proposal will be considered through the normal planning process and under the appropriate regulatory regimes, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s guidance”.