Shale gas discovered at potential fracking site

FRACKING firm IGas said it has discovered “significant gas indications” in the shale bed at its Ellesmere Port test site.

In a statement the company said it encountered a thick section of coal and a “very significant” shale bed of 1,400 ft.

It said: “Preliminary analysis suggests both the Sabden Shale and Bowland Shales have been encountered and cores have been acquired across these intervals. Significant gas indications were observed across the shale section.   

“The well, including the shale section, is being logged and the logs, together with the cores, will be sent away for further detailed analysis.”

Last winter the firm’s exploratory site in Barton Moss, Salford, became a focal point for anti-fracking protestors who established a camp and disrupted the delivery of supplies.

Environmentalists claim fracking, which involves pumping water and chemicals deep under ground at high pressure, can pollute water supplies and the atmosphere. But the industry, and the Government, argues the gas is essential for the UK’s energy security and could drive a massive new industry.