PARIS—A report published by the French government Wednesday could give impetus to the country's search for alternative energy sources, at a time when the Libyan rebellion is disrupting oil and gas supplies and boosting prices and Japan's radiation crisis heightens concerns about the safety of nuclear power.
One option that has been fiercely debated is shale gas, whose emergence in the U.S. has helped the country reduce its dependence on imported energy and eased prices while providing a fuel that burns cleaner than oil or coal. France has abundant shale, with the most promising drilling area covering 10,000 square kilometers in the southeast, and technological advances are making it possible to extract deposits trapped deep in the rock.
French Report Backs Shale Gas, Oil Production - Wall Street Journal
One option that has been fiercely debated is shale gas, whose emergence in the U.S. has helped the country reduce its dependence on imported energy and eased prices while providing a fuel that burns cleaner than oil or coal. France has abundant shale, with the most promising drilling area covering 10,000 square kilometers in the southeast, and technological advances are making it possible to extract deposits trapped deep in the rock.
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It isn't yet clear whether French shale holds commercially viable natural-gas deposits - or whether nearby residents can be persuaded that the benefits outweigh shale's environmental risks. A U.S. study released this week finding shale extraction generates more greenhouse-gas emissions than burning coal over 20 years could complicate matters further. Nor is shale gas likely to supplant nuclear power, which provides 80% of France's electricity, any time soon.India auto diesel tanks manufacturer
French Report Backs Shale Gas, Oil Production - Wall Street Journal
