India to make Environmental Protection an Integral Part of the new Shale Gas Policy

Shale Gas Extraction has seen doubts being raised against its Environmental Safety Record.This new  form of Fossil Fuel Extraction has seen a Gold Rush from Global Oil and Gas Majors looking to tap into this major new Energy Form.In the initial helter-skelter,environmental norms have been bypassed.Recently a NGO blamed regulators and companies of illegally diverting millions of tons of water in Pennsylvania.India’s Biggest Private Company Relaince Industries has invested a huge amount in acquiring Shale Gas Assets in order to assimilate this Technology. The Indian government is writing a new Shale Gas Policy as India is said to have geographical formations with potential Shale Gas Deposits.The Government is thinking of integrating Environmental Norms into the Policy in order to avoid the delays and overruns due to any potential Ecological Problems.Note India’s Industry has come under fire for Environmental Degradation in recent times.This has led to massive protests over forest land and tribal rights infringement.The recent cancellation of a Vedanta Bauxite Mining Project in the Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa is the most famous example.

Shale Gas has led to water contamination due to fracking process and also causes air pollution.Land acquisition is also thought to be a part of the policy.The new Shale Gas Policy will have rules to avoid problems in all of these areas.Inputs have also been sought from Schlumberger which is doing prospecting in India.However it remains to be seen how stringent or comprehensive the new Policy is regarding Environmental Matters.With Big Oil and Gas Lobbies having an interest in this area,the potential for dilution of Environmental Aspect remains high.

Green rules for shale gas explorers soon – FE

The government will put in place a set of new environment protection guidelines as part of its proposed shale gas policy, which companies venturing into exploration of this new fuel source in India will have to compulsorily follow. The proposed guidelines are likely to force oil explorers to disclose the chemicals they use, which are increasingly being linked to groundwater contamination globally.

The idea is to adopt environment protection norms followed in countries where shale gas production has flourished, without going to the opposite extreme of overregulation that could push up costs and make shale gas an uneconomical source of energy, official sources told FE.