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| New report on UK shale deposits to be released, BBC understands | New report on UK shale deposits to be released, BBC understands |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| A government report into how much oil is in shale rocks in the Weald region of southern England will be published on Friday, the BBC understands. | A government report into how much oil is in shale rocks in the Weald region of southern England will be published on Friday, the BBC understands. |
| The official report, undertaken by the British Geological Survey (BGS), covers an area that includes parts of Sussex, Hampshire and Kent. | The official report, undertaken by the British Geological Survey (BGS), covers an area that includes parts of Sussex, Hampshire and Kent. |
| The study will say that there are many billions barrels of oil in place. | The study will say that there are many billions barrels of oil in place. |
| But getting it out of the ground will involve the controversial process known as fracking. | But getting it out of the ground will involve the controversial process known as fracking. |
| Last year, a BGS study of the North of England suggested there could be as much as 1,300 trillion cubic feet of gas contained in shale rocks. | Last year, a BGS study of the North of England suggested there could be as much as 1,300 trillion cubic feet of gas contained in shale rocks. |
| The BBC's John Moylan said that although there are vast quantities of shale oil and gas in the UK, is is not clearly how much would be economically recoverable. | |
| But he said that "this new estimate could have implications for the UK's long-term energy security". | But he said that "this new estimate could have implications for the UK's long-term energy security". |
| By way of comparison, around 45 billion barrels of oil equivalent has been extracted from the North Sea over the past 40 years. | By way of comparison, around 45 billion barrels of oil equivalent has been extracted from the North Sea over the past 40 years. |
| The fracking process involves pumping water, sand and chemicals into rock at high pressure, a method protesters argue is environmentally damaging. | The fracking process involves pumping water, sand and chemicals into rock at high pressure, a method protesters argue is environmentally damaging. |
| In the US, fracking has created an energy boom and led to speculation that the country could overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest oil producer by 2020 or even sooner. | In the US, fracking has created an energy boom and led to speculation that the country could overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest oil producer by 2020 or even sooner. |
| Critics argue that the fracking process damages water supplies and can cause earthquakes. | Critics argue that the fracking process damages water supplies and can cause earthquakes. |