Fracking is a process that forces pressurized water and chemicals into layers of rock to release trapped oil and natural gas. Industry representatives have said the process is safe, citing 50 years of experience in other parts of North America. However, critics have focused much of their attention on high-volume hydraulic fracturing for gas trapped in shale deposits. This process, which requires far more water than conventional fracking, has been around for less than a decade. Proponents of fracking say the industry could spur Nova Scotia’s stalled economy and reduce its reliance on polluting, coal-fired plants. The expert panel led by Cape Breton University president David Wheeler estimated that under a lower- to medium-case scenario of 4,000 wells, the industry could be worth up to $1 billion annually to the economy and create as many as 1,500 direct jobs in the development phase. Younger played down those numbers, suggesting the Wheeler report looked at the onshore oil and gas industry as a whole and not shale gas fracking in particular.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 15:55:27 +0000
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